A Tiger's Golden Eyes
by Wishiwasaneagle
Summary: Golden eyes-Tiger stripped hair. 10yr old Serena knew who she was and who she would be-The Shang Tiger-but conspiracy hits and she is cast out of the Isles and left for dead. High powers intervened and a new life was thrust upon her, as a tortallen page..
1. Chapter 1

"Scat

Prologue

_I slowly came into consciousness, my head throbbed from the blow I had received and I felt groggy and strange._

_I blinked my eyes, they seemed to be stuck together with a sticky substance, but when they finally opened I wished that they had not. _

_The sticky substance was blood, some was mine from my head wound but the majority was from the man lying on top of me. His hair was a mess, his eyes wild, one of his hand was clutched around my upper arm and the other was clutched to his chest, where a small, delicately made and horribly familiar dagger was protruding._

_I scrambled backwards on the bed, trying to get as far away as possible, but his hand still held its iron grip on my arm and his wild eyes held me frozen._

_I struggled out of my stupor and managed to pull back my arm with a hard yank. I brought my hands up to my face, trying to hide the sight, but they were covered in blood. His blood._

_I screamed, my voice echoing loud in the room. I pulled back again and fell off the edge of the bed, my head hit the floor with a sickly crack and I descended once more into darkness. _

Chapter 1

"Scat! Wait up!"

"You'll have to catch me first!" 

Two children raced through the market, not an unusual sight but made all the stranger by the girl. 

She was dressed in Shang style clothing, though it was badly made and grime and dirt had layered over the original cloth. But the main cause of surprise was the flaming orange and black tiger striped hair, it had been plaited neatly, but was now loose and flying everywhere as she dashed through the market after the rather more inconspicuous boy.

They weaved in and out of alleys and between stalls and people, the girls golden eyes darted here and there quickly, working to keep up with the boy.

The girl and boy were young, neither older than eleven, but seemed to know the market place like the back of their hands. They ignored the annoyed people who yelled after them as they rushed past and seemed to be completely ignorant of what was going around them, only worried about their own little game.

The boy took a sharp turn into a narrow alley and disappeared, the girl paused searching for a moment before rocketing off again. Her movements were graceful and she made no noise at all, slipping in and out of the crowds without making an impact on any one.

But five minutes later when she rocketed out of the alley, blinded in the sunlight, she ran straight into a pair of fine bred horses, giving them and their riders a fright.

Serena's POV

Damn that Scat! He was so damn fast, she hated chasing games especially in the markets, there were too many people and Scat knew the alley much better than her.

Serena blinked. Where did he go? He was there a minute ago. Her golden eyes flickered around, barely acknowledging that she had seen the alley way before she shot off down it.

She stretched her arm out in front of her, finding the wall and following it. She couldn't see a thing but hopefully this alley didn't fork.

A light appeared and Serena ran gratefully towards it, it was a bright day and she was blinking hard before she even left the alley. She rushed out, determined not to be left behind even if she couldn't see a thing.

A horse's nicker was the only thing that warned her before she ran straight into it. On the ground, she blinked a few more times and her vision slowly came back, her eyes widened.

The two horses were clearly well bred and good specimens and they screamed "Noble-property!" plus the added fact that the face staring down at her was the most well known face in the land.

Alanna the Lioness.

Her famous fiery locks were hanging down around her face and those unnatural purple eyes were appraising Serena thoughtfully.

"Now what would a Shang girl be doing in Corus?" Alanna's companion said from her horse. The face was less known but still quite legendary, Lady Knight Keladry.

"Good question" Alanna said, her eyes turned back to Serena and she squirmed.

"Are you a Shang" She asked when Serena didn't reply.

She got to her feet and lifted her chin, "I was." Then promptly turned and started to walk away.

"Whooh! Little tiger, calm down" Alanna said, snagging her arm. "Explanation please"

"Simple, I used to be a Shang but I'm not any more" Serena's golden eyes met the calm purple ones and she glared. Alanna, despite herself, looked impressed.

"It takes a lot to glare at the Lioness" Keladry said from her horse. "Though it doesn't take a lot for the Lioness to glare at you so be careful, little tiger."

Alanna treated Keladry to a glare then turned back to Serena "look, are you going to tell me or do I have to take you back to the Palace."

The golden eyes turned molten "You can also let me go!"

"Huh" Alanna snorted "Like I'm going to leave a Shang girl with magic in a Corus market without an explanation"

"Magic?" Keladry queried.

"Magic?!" Serena spat, "right, just so you know I _don't have magic!"_

She yanked her arm from Alanna's grip and tried to get away, but Alanna grabbed her arm once again and lifted her onto her horse. "Your coming with us, till we get an reason"  
She leaped up behind Serena and nudged her horse into a trot, turning back up the road and heading to the Palace, Keladry watched them go for a second before giving a small smile and nudging her horse after them. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Alanna sat behind the large desk and looked with amusement as the small girl glared at her. The position of training master had been offer to her a few years ago after a leg injury that left her less fit than she could have wanted.

"Look, Serena, you're a Shang, you're living in Tortal and you won't give us an explanation, so what are we supposed to do?" Man, this girl was exasperating!

The girl raised her chin "you can leave me alone."

Alanna sighed, "Look it's not as simple as that, the best thing we can do is enlist you as a page, since you won't tell us who you are and why you're in Tortal rather than the Yamani Isles"

"It's my problem" she replied, her golden eyes glittering almost sadly.

"Apparently" she moaned and turned her eyes on Keladry pleadingly.

Kel shrugged, "this girl is Shang, no doubt about that and she has something she is not telling us." Her mouthed twitched "nothing wrong with enlisting her as a page, it should be easy after Shang training."

Alanna nodded "how old are you?" she asked fixing her eyes on Serena's golden ones.

"Eleven"

"Are you turning twelve this year?"

"Yes"

"How long have you been in Tortal?"

"About a year and a half"

"Okay you can start as a second year page; I trust you can keep up?"

"Of course" she said with contempt.

"Now, little tiger, if you disappear mysteriously in the night then I swear I will find you and drag you back here, got it?"

Her blank face showed a bit of wry amusement "don't you have any thing better to do?"

"No, As a matter of fact I don't"

She sighed, with an exaggerated roll of her eyes "then I guess I'll have to stay, won't I"

"Yes, you will" Alanna said firmly, then motioned to a maid at the back of the room "Rebbecca could you please take little miss tiger around and show her the palace and her room and please take her to the seamstress and get her some page clothes"

"Yes, Lady" the quiet girl at the back of the room touched Serena's arm lightly and led her out of the room.

Before she followed Serena glared one last time at Alanna "I'll get you back!" she vowed.

When she was gone Alanna gave a half laugh and leaned back into her chair, "it seems we have an interesting addition to the palace"

Keladry smiled, "a tiger cub for our Lioness to look after. She reminds me of you, small, stubborn and with a fiery temper."

Alanna frowned "surely I wasn't ever that bad"

Kel laughed "you still are, Lioness"

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A.N. Okay, please tell me if you like it. Should I continue?

I've already got stories that I need to update so if you want me to continue this then you better tell me

thanks for reading!

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Serena was annoyed. She had been dragged around all day by Rebbecca, who was nice, and had to stand for ages while a seamstress measured her up, plus the added fact of she was in the palace and was being forced to be a page while she would much rather be running though the streets with Scat.

Her head pounded even as she lay back on her new bed and stared at the ceiling. Her room was simple compared to one she had lived in once, but luxury compared with the place she had been living for the past year and a half.

She had opened the shutters on her window and a cool breeze was wafting in form the courtyard and the blankets that she was laying on felt like silk on her newly washed skin.

But none of this made her feel any better, she was angry with the Lioness and Keladry and their mentioning of her Shang life and Yamani heritage. It brought back too many memories of a time when she had had everything she had wanted and needed.

Plus the bad memories that had made her leave.

Despite her trying hard to clear her head and find the cool Yamani resolve that she had kept through everything, those haunting pictures ran through her mind.

She had just been walking back to her room after a large banquet in the Emperors Palace when someone had called her name; she had turned around and saw a face for a split second before something had smashed into the side of her head.

Her memories of that face were blurry but she wondered if she would recognize it if she ever saw it again, it was her dream to one day go back to the Isles and find the person who had done that to her and have her revenge.

She had woken up on a bed in a strange room with a dead man on top of her and her dagger buried into his heart. It had been midwinter and the large banquets had been going on so Serena had recognized the man's face.

He had been a prince, one of the more powerful ones and someone had killed him and framed her at the same time.

The worst thing was remembering all those familiar faces of the people she loved, they had turned against her, when they found out, there eyes had gone cold when she pleaded innocent. They hadn't believed her.

She had been exiled. A death sentence really. They had put her in a boat with no oars or sails, no clothes or food or water. The fact she had survived was a miracle, it had been a storm that gave her water and that blew her across the ocean and washed her up at Port Cayn.

Scat and a man named Jeremy had found her, dying, in the small boat and had taken her to a healer, she had survived. Just. She had lived on the streets since then, saving her money so that when she was older she could buy a place on a ship and travel back to the Isles and have her revenge.

And now here, in this palace, all those memories were coming back, painfully fast. She swallowed once, twice and shut her eyes tight, before getting up and going into her small bathroom and staring at herself in the mirror.

She was an average height and was slim, but a different slim. Each of her muscles was well tuned and held a surprising wiry strength. She had a small angular face, with pale skin that was finally showing its true colour after the bath that had washed the layers of dirt off her. Her eyes were large and amber-gold in colour, with fine lashes framing them.

But her face did not attract much attention; it was all taken up with the vivid, orange, black and white tiger striped hair.

She had dyed it herself, as a declaration of her independence and her personality, after people had given her the nickname tiger.

A bell rang in the distance; Serena turned and stared vaguely in the direction before looking at herself in the mirror one last time.

Rebbecca had told the bell meant it was time for the page's dinner, so she left the room closing the door lightly behind her.

It was time to meet the pages.

A.N.

hey, its holidays so I'm being nice and writing another chapter for you

if you have any questions please ask but if not I hope this explained it quite well

you'll get more info on her past in the following chapters, so have fun, review and keep reading (not necessarily in that order)

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	4. Chapter 4

Serena slipped through the large doors quietly and into the hall of noisy pages. Her ears twitched at the noise and she looked around, surprised at the undisciplined pages. In Shang they followed a strict set of rules, they were not rowdy or noisy and there was no way that they would be allowed to do some of the things she saw being done here.

Serena made her way across the hall and picked up a tray and some food.

Staring at the food she was surprised, she hadn't eaten very much in the last year and a half and the amount of food on that she had was huge to her.

She shook her head, maybe living here wouldn't be so bad, she could sneak food out to Scat and the other urchins _and_ she would get a proper bed.

Her eyes roved the hall and she went towards a relatively empty table. Setting herself at the end, away from the others she put her head down and scoffed her food. For the first time in a year and a half she was properly clean, had enough food to eat and had a bed to look forward to at night. It was something she had missed.

"Hey, are you new? I didn't know they accepted people at this time of year?" a tall laky boy across from her queried, he had black hair, grey eyes and looked genuinely curious.

"Yeah, well Alanna the Lioness seems to have her own rules" She said then turned back to her food and started eating again; trying to make it bluntly obvious that she didn't want to talk. But whether the boy was stupid or stubborn, he kept at it.

"You know Alanna then?"

"No"

"Er" the boy stumbled and the girl next to him broke in, "Robin's a stubborn mule, he'll never give up, you might as well just tell him what he wants to know" the girl had bright flaming hair and piercing, black eyes, her face distinctly reminded Serena of Alanna.

"Hey, I'm Kat, or Katrina if you want but Kat's good. This is Robin" she said pointing at the lanky youth "and this is Chelsea" gesturing at a tiny girl with blond hair and blue eyes.

"Me and Kat are in our second year and Chelsea's in her first, you are too I suppose?"

"No" Serena replied bluntly, then sighed when she saw their faces.

"I'm eleven, in my second year; I just wasn't here for my first one"

"Why did you only start this year?" Chelsea asked, looking at her, Serena saw strength in her gaze. But Serena didn't want to tell and glared straight back.

"None of your business!"

All three of them seemed quite affronted at her rudeness, Chelsea seemed annoyed but cowed and Robin turned away slightly embarrassed, but Kat seemed angry.

"There's no need to be rude, we're just trying to be your friends, but apparently you'd rather we didn't!" she huffed. Serena decided she liked this feisty girl.

"Right," Serena smiled "calm down, surely you don't expect me to start spilling my secrets to any random people who ask"

Robin looked up from where he had been staring intently at his food. "Of course not, but be careful with Kat here, she inherited her grandma's temper"

This piqued Serena's interest. "Whose her grandma?"

"No one less than the lioness herself"

Serena raised her eyebrows "Really, I thought you looked like her"

Kat smiled. "So people have said, so are we friends?"

Serena decided what the hell, it looked like she might be here for a while and there was no reason not to have friends in the palace, "Friends" she agreed.

The three grinned. "And I just have to ask…is that hair colour natural?"


	5. Chapter 5

Hey! I'm back! just finishing off a chapter thats been sitting their for a while, i felt like maybe starting to write occasionally about this story again tell me iff you like it and want me too continue!

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Serena got up the moment the bell tolled; years of Shang training had taught her to be prompt. She bathed and got dressed into her training clothes, all the while wondering what the day would bring.

When she was ready she left her room, trying to remember the way to the practice courts, but her thoughts were interrupted.

"Oh…hey Serena" Robin said, stepping out of his room with a wide yawn.

"Um, where are the practice courts, I've completely forgotten" She asked.

"Just follow me" he said, yawning again.

The practice courts were full of first and second years yawning and staring sleepily at each other; Serena was shocked but had come to the conclusion that she should cease being shocked. Obviously the training here was easy going compared to Shang, Serena frowned, these people were so strange.

But the kids straightened up when a weathered warrior walked into the yard, they all grabbed a staff and stood in two lines facing each other and began doing the drills without the man saying a word.

Serena looked contemptuously at her staff, not much more than a lump of wood. She had stopped using a staff as soon as she was old enough to be trusted not to cut herself with a knife or sword.

Never the less she faced her partner, who turned out to be a sleepy looking Kat, and began doing the drills. High block, middle block, low block, high hit, middle hit, low hit. The movements came easily to her and she speed up, getting faster and faster, till their movements were a blur, Kat kept up easily.

She slowed down and Kat grinned at her over their moving staves.

"Don't worry, we'll be starting swords in a few days, we're already almost half way through the year, you missed the boring part."

Serena smiled back; she had made friends with Kat, Robin and Chelsea last night but was not to sure about how their friendship would work. In the Shang she had had friends but mostly they were classed into two groups, friendly rivals and suck-up friends. The friendly rivals were rivals first and friends second and the suck-ups were usually peasants or children whose parents had a low position in court who made friends with her because of her family's power.

But here, it seemed that the world worked differently. People seemed to genuinely like her even though they didn't know a thing about her, it was disconcerting.

The hour of staff work moved by quickly, the trainer taking no notice of her at all. Next was hand-to-hand combat, taught, by Shang.

One of them was very old, his hair gone white and his face wrinkled but his eyes still sparkled brightly and he body was supple and fit, he was the Shang Horse, Haukim Seastone. The other Shang was a young girl about twenty five, the Shang Hawk, the name suited her strong face and sharp features but her youth caused Serena to shrink away from her. She must have been in the Isles recently because twenty five was a young age for a Shang to have completed their training and already be out exploring. Serena hoped dearly that the Hawk didn't recognize her.

The pages went towards the Shang Hawk all except Kat, when I turned to follow them she pulled me back and went towards the Shang Horse.

"So, are you the new page? The Shang?" he asked, looking delighted.

"I am a Shang no longer, but yes I am the new page."

He nodded, "Kat, would you go train with the other pages today?" Kat agreed, shooting Serena a puzzled look.

Haukim smiled at her. "May I inquire why you are here and claim you are no longer Shang when it is obvious in the very way you move."

"That story is mine and I choose not to share it" Serena said, raising her chin defiantly, but seeing a person of her home land was hard and her chin wobbled.

"Another time then" he calmed her, "lets see your moves"

Serena walked out of that lesson with more bruises than she had had in a while, Haukim was surprisingly fast for a man of his age and had tipped her on her back side more time than she would have liked.

The pages were rushing to the stables, horse riding was their favourite. Kat walked beside her, happy and not the least bit tired. When they reached the stables Kat melted away into one of the stalls and Serena stood, unsure of what to do.

"Wait, until the rest of us have gone," Chelsea told her as she walked past, "then look at the horses that are left and choose one for yourself."

Serena thanked her then leant back against the wall and waited. When every one had gone, she looked into the stalls. Only two horses were left and Serena felt her heart sink in dismay. One of the horses was dozing against the wall asleep; it was the worst looking horse she had ever seen. It was scarred all over from its flanks to its knees and even round its sensitive eyes; this horse would not be among the living for long.

The second horse was twice the size of the small mountain ponies that were found in the Isles, its back was obviously too broad and its eyes rolled when Serena came too near.

She sighed, one horse was almost dead and the other horse would probably kill her before they had gone two steps. What great options.

She was staring with dismay at the horse when and old man walked in, leading another one. The man had graying blond hair and a smile on his face, but it was the horse he was leading that caught Serena's eye. She was a small, dappled grey mare, with long legs and a rather frisky attitude, Serena saw this immediately and loved her straight away.

"Does any one own this horse?" she asked hopeful, she had left her own beloved pony behind when she was exiled.

The man looked up, his weathered face creased into a grin. "Hello young tiger, Alanna told me you might need a horse. No one owns this girl here, a boy was riding her but he went and bought himself a bigger horse and now this girl needs a partner." His eyes twinkled as Serena's face lit up in excitement, having a horse made this whole thing worth while.

"Really? I can have her?" she asked. The man just laughed and handed her the reins. "Treat her well".

Serena thanked him and lead the mare outside, she had always had a rather un-Yamani like fetish for horses. In the Isles they had rugged mountain ponies, tough, reliant and loyal. This mare was not much taller than the Yamani ponies but she was still young and looked like she'd be getting a lot taller.

Serena hooked her foot in the stirrup and swung her leg over the horse's back. Before nudging her into a trot and catching up to the group of horses and pages.

The pages were lining with long sticks and taking turns in charging down a fence to hit a dummy with a shield, more often than not a bag swung round and whacked them in the back.

Robin came back from his run at the dummy, rubbing the back of his head. He paused sheepishly when he noticed her watching him and his hand dropped. Nudging her horse over with her knees, an unfamiliar but well remembered task, she queried as to what they were doing.

"Jousting. Nice horse by the way, don't they have it in the Isles?" he stared at her horse with a bit of envy, his horse was rather large and placid, his gangly awkwardness stopping him from being the best of riders.

As always, she stiffened at mention of the Isles or her past, forcibly relaxing she replied "No. how do you do it?"

His hand went to his head again with a grimace. "You ride at the dummy with your lance," He motioned at the wooden lance lying across his horse. "And try hit the middle. If you don't…well" he winced as someone else yelped after a solid thump.

Serena's brow furrowed, "It seems a silly thing to do."

He nodded, flicking his black hair away from his eyes with a sardonic smile. "Another stupid tradition derived from men having an over-liking for whacking each other with big sticks. Me, I'd rather be at study."

As he was talking, his hand, resting on his bruised head, glowed gray and he sighed in relief. Serena hissed in furious distaste when she realised what had happened.

"You work _magic?_"

Backing away, her eyes narrowed she turned her horse and trotted away to get herself a lance before Robin had really realised what had happened.

Serena avoided Robin and the others for the rest of the day, it was hard, but years in the streets had taught her tricks. The afternoon classes had been harder than the morning ones, her mind failing to jump into action as readily as her body had. She had fought to keep her Yamani cool the whole day, breaking it once with a glare at the etiquette teacher when he attempted to get her to talk about Yamani traditions.

She refused, her pursed his lips and they lesson carried on with mutual dislike simmering between them.

At dinner she lingered a while, waiting for seats to fill up, then darted forward, got her food and took and empty spot between two people she didn't know, there were no empty spots around her and so she was safe.

So hungry she almost inhaled her food and would have leapt up and left straight after had the tall quiet boy beside her not grabbed her arm. She hissed in fury and would have yanked her arm way but the boy said quietly, "Calm yourself."

Almost out of her seat she began to hiss again then paused and did a double take. _This boy had spoken to her in Yamani. _

Gasping her Yamani mask slipped and the boy pulled her down back onto her seat, "Calm yourself." He said again, in Yamani. "Do you know who I am?"

Serena looked at him, he had wavy black hair and blue eyes but his pale skin and features reflected Yamani heritage. He was tall, and handsome in a quiet way and her sharp eyes noted his unobvious, lithe strength. She shook her head.

"My name is Jon, my father is Prince Roald." Aly stared at him in unabashed shock.

"You're half Yamani."

He nodded. "I am a third year page." He paused and looked closely at her. "I spent six years, from when I was three, till when I was nine, at the Yamani court.

Serena's eyes widened and she had leapt of her seat faster than Jon or anyone else in the room could and dashed away, out of the hall. She was away, through the corridors and had reached her room and was inside with the door locked before she even her Jon calling her name.

Sinking down on the window seat she buried her face in her hands. He knew. He knew who she was. He had been at the court at the same time as her and she had been a fool not to remember. He had trained with Shang for a few years and had no small skill. She would get sent back. Sent back to undoubtedly receive the death sentence they thought they had already given her.

The small click barely caught her attention but a draught of cold air did. She looked up in unhidden despair to see Jon walk in, he must have anticipated a question because he waved the key he was holding with a small grin. "Master key. I stole it from Alanna."

But seeing her hopeless expression he quieted and walked in, closing the door behind him. When he stepped towards her though, Serena's body acted instinctively and she leapt up in defensive position. Jon just sighed.

"Yes, Serena, I know who you are. I was in the Yamani Isles while you were and I even trained beside you though never having the misfortune to actually verse you. You were the best. The one who wasn't even past her tenth year and had already been dubbed Shang Tiger. No one who saw you fight, with your amazing hair swirling around your face, could forget."

Serena didn't reply, his words had not comforted her and she remained tensely defensive.

"You can't imagine how surprised I was when I saw you. You who could have been one of the greatest Shang, dragged unwillingly from the streets by an amused Alanna? You can relax, I am not asking you for your story, maybe that will come in time, and I am also sure that nobody else in the castle ever saw you while you were Shang. Except maybe, the Shang Hawk. Be careful of her."

"You promise you won't tell?" Old pain showed in her eyes, her Yamani mask all but dissolved. She didn't trust him, she was wary of him, but wildness flared in her and her face hardened.

"Promise!"

He looked at her sadly. "Of course, I won't tell anyone until you are ready to tell them. Promise."

Her resolve wavered, "Truly?" she asked, her voice quiet, trembling.

He smiled a genuine Conte smile, "Truly."

Serena broke down at the kindness she saw in that smile, she broke down, collapsed and cried. Cried for the first time in so long. Cried for only the second time in her whole life.

She cried as a young girl with too much misery cries.

And Jon just sat down and stayed beside her through it.

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REVIEW all of you who want another chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

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Okay another chapter, not too long, more of a balancing chapter, i think i've got a bit better at writing since i started this story so review and let me know!

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A week passed.

Serena became close friends with Jon. They didn't talk about what had happened that night, it was an unspoken agreement, Serena was both scared and embarrassed about what had happened and what see had learned but she had put it behind her.

While she had been calming down that night Jon had talked about mundane things, mostly about people in hers and his' year.

He was a prince, the second in line for the throne, his older brother Dameon was almost knighted and his sister, Zahira, was by force of will starting soon, with her inseparable friend Keisha, who was the daughter of Sir Neal.

Katrina, Kat, was apparently the daughter of Alanna's straying daughter Aly, and was half crow, with enhanced speed and strength. Serena made a mental note to ask about that.

Robin, however was the son of Numair Salamin, the greatest mage in all of Tortal and beyond apparently, and Wildmage Veralidaine Sarrasri. Serena shuddered when she thought about it, all her life she had been brought up to believe magic was a cheat, an abomination and should never be used because it was an unfair advantage in a battle.

Shang had never taken kindly on magic users and it had gotten worse when a Shang student had used his powers to enhance his fighting strength and rise in ranks. Now they didn't even admit children who had the Gift. And so seeing someone use it so casually disgusted her, as a Shang she would have been forced to train if she suffered a broken arm, let alone a small bruise on the head!

But she understood ways were different here, she had talked to Robin again, if a bit stiffly and knew that just because he used magic it could stop them being friends. Kat had magic as well, apparently she could turn into a crow at will and had rudimentary healing powers.

Chelsea was Kat's cousin, though they didn't look alike, Chelsea took after her mother and hadn't inherited much from Alanna's side apart from an unobvious strength of will and shortness.

Then there was Christopher, a bright, optimistic lad in the third year who came from a tiny mountain fief in the north, he was brown haired and eyed with a catching smile. He and Jon were good friends plus Solen of Goldenlake, related to the famous Raoul of Goldenlake and quite obviously going to be following in the same footsteps.

These people basically formed Serena's group, they sat together at dinner and met in the library each night to study. Serena was the silent one in the group, even quite Chelsea spoke more than her. Though Jon did try his hardest to involve her, he knew exactly how she felt, the reservations, the isolations that came with being Yamani and Shang.

Sitting cross-legged in her chair she leaned forward and slowly scribed the poem on paper. Her hair fell around her face, an orange and black curtain. Writing had come back to her slowly, her hands had never been well suited to it and a year was a long time to go without something.

An excited debate was going on about the importance about peaceful treaties with Carthak. It was mainly focused between Kat and Jon, with Solen or Robin occasionally adding an intellectual comment and Chris a joke or two, Chelsea watched and listened with dutiful attention.

"Carthak have clearly set themselves apart from Tortal, they refuse to have anything to do with us. Emperor Kaddar was busy rebuilding both the palace and the treaties with us after Daine had her rampage but the plague killed him a few years ago, just before they were finished and his successor is not so inclined. He holds some bitterness over the mess of the palace because some of his family was killed but he doesn't want war, he just wants nothing. We don't need the treaty! We are a stronger nation!" Kat exclaimed, stabbing her finger to emphasize. Debates with her were amusing because they were such a mixture of surprising intelligence and furious indignation.

"We need the treaty because we need the security. Carthak has always been a bit of a loose cannon and they are strong, Ozorne made sure of it. Without the treaty then they could turn on us easily with only the smallest provocation. We also need the trading they can afford and their universities are still the best other than the City of the Gods." Jon's voice was calm but you could see he was just as animated by the debate as she was.

Kat paused to gather her thoughts; she often did this, if she didn't all her thoughts had a tendency to rush out when she was excited and they made no sense.

"The way I see it."Chelsea interjected, Serena looked up in surprise. "Is that you need the universities and the trading Carthak can offer more than you do immediate peace, why not negotiate first for those things and then put effort into making our interacts smooth and without fault. Eventually we will come to trust one another if no problems arise and so a treaty can be made. Best not to rush into something when we still barely trust one another for that will bring along more distrust and insecurity." There was silence for a few moments before Jon laughed.

"Chelsea, I shall recommend you to my brother and you shall be his advisor when he is king, for surely there is no smarter mind in all of Tortal!" and with that the debate was finished. Chelsea smiling a secret smile, Jon happily surprised and Kat looking rather full of things to say with no way to say them, Serena snorted quietly and turned back to her work. Jon turned to her, a laugh still in his eyes.

"You find something funny, tiger?"

Serena flicked her hair away and looked into Chelsea's heart shaped face. "I find it funny that you all underestimate the girl who watches and listens and says almost nothing when she is the girl you should always be watching. Subtle silence is more dangerous than obvious strength." She turned back to Jon, dragging her eyes across every one else's on the way, they were all watching her. "You of all people should remember. Listen for silence, never noise."

Jon watched her for a second, blue eyes met gold, then his smile grew and he bowed. "Yes, Shang master."

A few milliseconds pause where Serena hovered between pained offense and amusement, and then she threw away her stiffness and laughed before turning back to the work in her lap with a shake of her head.

The hair on the back of her neck rose. She looked up. Everyone was staring at her shocked. "What?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

Christopher rose from his seat and walked over, knelt before her and took her hand and raised it to her lips. "A sweeter sound I have never heard."

Serena stared at him in confusion. "What!?"

A stifled noise came from Jon and Robin, Jon had his hand over his mouth and Robin was clutching his sides. Serena glared at them.

"You laughed!" he choked out and burst out laughing.

"So?" She was confused. Robin laughed too, "We've never heard you laugh before!"

Serena pursed her lips to stop herself smiling and flapped her hand at Christopher who stood up with a grin.

"You guys are ridiculous." Serena bemoaned with a shake of her head, then threw back her hair and laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

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Okay another chapter, once again not too long, but what can you do? the story gets told the way its wants to be.

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As it turned out, Kat with her crow father had inherited increased speed and strength and it made her an extremely good fighter. The Shang horse had taught her well and Serena had to forcibly remember all her Shang tricks and sharpen up her moves.

She ducked under a punch and swept out her leg to catch Kat's in one smooth move; her opponent was expecting that though and leapt smoothly over the leg. Leaping to her feet quickly she dodged one of Kat's feints, realised her mistake and blocked the other punch coming at her. They spared off for a few seconds punching and blocking, then Kat came in with a spinning kick too strong to block and Serena made a split second decision and flipped backwards from a standstill, flicking her legs up and throwing herself backwards.

Kat's leg hit thin air and she was thrown off balance as Serena made an unsteady landing and immediately hit Kat with a sharp kick that made her fall.

Hakim raised his hand and they stopped "I think Serena won this battle, but well fought. Though Serena I advise against using the back flip in any proper battle to you have mastered it, a more experienced opponent than Kat might have recovered quicker than you and taken you out." Serena nodded and bowed to his wisdom, the move had been rash.

In the distance the bell rang and the pages straightened and walked to their next class, Kat got to her feet, rubbing her bum, made an "ug" face at Serena and walked away.

Serena made to follow her but Hakim stopped her, his eyes thoughtful, "In Shang they only teach the best backflips, and usually not till they're at least twelve or thirteen, you are an amazing fighter but you're holding back. Why? What happened in your past that made you come here? You could have been the best, the very best."

Serena thought it rather amusing that he thought she had come here of her own free will, she looked at him and decided. "If you had had any contact with Shang in the past few years you would have heard of me, if you want to know what happened contact Shang and ask about the young Shang Tiger. They will know."

His eyes held hers for a few seconds, then he bowed, hands on thighs, "I know the trust it costs you to give me permission to but I think that I will wait till you are ready to tell me, trust is worth more than gold and so I think I shall keep this trust for just a bit longer."

Serena could not help an inward sigh of relief then she bowed low to Hakim, "Thank you."

He smiled, "You may go, Serena. Remember I am here, do not let it fester, many a strong person has sickened and died from no more than a memory that has eaten away at their mind. You are strong and may not feel the effects for a while yet, but it shows in your fighting, do not let it rest to long Serena, some battles need to be faced head on. The Tortallen way." His smile held and waved her away.

Serena left slowly dragging her feet, she had no doubt of Hakim's wisdom, his words rang true and even as she walked away she heard him sighing to himself. "Sometimes I wonder if the Yamani way is more wrong than others, no problems can be solved by inward deception."

Serena wandered away wondering what he meant, then realised she was late and took off running to her next class.

On arrival Kat sought her out and without question handed her what looked like a harness with weights on it, Serena stared at it. "What's this?"

Kat grimaced and they were joined by a woeful looking Robin. "These contraptions are just one of the many tortures our lordly knight master likes to inflict upon us."

Kat elbowed him, "You know all too well if it wasn't or Alanna then we would have been wearing these at the start of the year." She turned back to Serena. "These are our weighted harnesses; we have to wear them everywhere from now, to train us to get used of carrying weight when we have to wear armor or mail. It used to be we would start wearing them at the start of our second year and weights would be added every six months now it's the same we just start six months later. Here I'll help you put it on."

Kat took the harness, somehow sorted out all the straps and slipped it over Serena's head and tightened it around her arms. Stepping back she asked, "How do you feel?"

Serena shook her shoulders a bit and shifted a strap to a more comfortable position, "Okay, we had to do this in the Isles as well."

"No doubt." Robin lamented, "I just had to make friends with the Shang and the freakishly strong half-crow. I suffer! How I suffer! Woe is me…" he sighed, with such a comical expression that Kat and Serena cracked up laughing.

"Ahh! The maidens mock me, they rent my heart with their laughs. I should have taken my father's advice and became a poet, I could have wooed these women with my words, but alas!" Serena and Kat leant on each other for support as the broke down and laughed.

"Don't worry dear knight! Our hearts remain forever caught by your manly valour!" Serena said with a theatrical curtsy.

Robin's eyes widened, "little tiger made a joke!" and they all collapsed against each other laughing. Serena was happy, truly happy, it was a perfect moment.

And of course it had to be ruined.

"On your feet! It's time for you lazy pages to learn the art of swordcraft." The sharp voice cut through their laughter and Serena heard Kat gulp.

The small, red haired, violet eyed woman before them was unmistakable. Pages scrambled into a line, as fast as they could with the new weights.

"By now you should have learnt dueling in theory and should know what the guard position and all the fighting etiquette is so I won't have to bother to teach you that." she walked up and down the line, inspecting the pages. "I shall teach you how to fight, first with practice swords, then you shall go to the smithy and spend a few days making yourself a sword which you shall then wear _all the time! _If I catch someone without their sword in that period of time then you with have two bells of weekend punishment. Understood?!" All the pages nodded.

"Okay then. Stripes! Come here" it took Serena a while to realise Alanna was talking to her, when she did she gave Kat a confused look, "Stripes?" Kat pointed to her head and Serena nodded in understanding and wandered out to where Alanna stood with her hands on her hips.

"Finished?" she asked with raised brows.

"Of course" Serena replied sweetly causing Alanna to appraise her amusedly, "Here." She said, and tossed Serena a dull practice sword, Serena caught it in one hand and smiled, after hand to hand, dueling had been her strongest skill, with glaive or sword.

"You know how to duel?" Alanna asked, Serena nodded with a secret smile behind her newly erected Yamani mask. "A little."

"Then on guard." They raised their swords and Serena wondered at Fate's liking of twisting the threads so that the young Shang Tiger had ended up exiled from the isles, a page and versing the Lioness in a duel.

Alanna gave the command to start and then moved to the left circling, clearly she expected Serena to attack first and so she did. Serena swung her sword at Alanna, pretending to be clumsy, Alanna blocked and returned with an easily stopped pass.

Alanna soon sped up the pace, impatient, underestimating Serena and now just trying to disarm her without really putting effort into it.

Seeing an opening with calm clarity Serena smiled emotionlessly and swung her sword quickly in a two handed pass that almost caught Alanna off guard, she had to block quickly and in that moment when she was confused Serena took her chance and sped in with complicated feints and thrusts which came back to her as naturally as breathing. Alanna stepped back, losing ground, surprised and Serena quickly ended it before Alanna could regain any ground. Her sword curved in and caught the other under the hilt, flicking it out of Alanna's hand.

Serena reached out and with Shang grace, caught the blade by the hilt and bowed to the astonished Alanna and silent pages. She rose up and her mouth curved into a laughing smile.

"Never under estimate a Shang. It is neither size, age nor even experience that counts if you are a Shang."

Flipping Alanna's sword into the air, Serena caught it delicately by the blade and offered it to Alanna, hilt first.

Alanna took the sword gracefully and sheathed it, still looking rather shell shocked. "Even the lioness accepts when she it beaten. So be it."

And before the pages and anyone else who happened to be watching, Alanna bowed deeply in deference to the new page with the tiger stripped hair.

The Lioness had met her match.

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REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

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okay, sorry for the wait, again, but lately its not very often that i find the time or the mood to write. Holidays now though so i will try update more

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The pages were still standing in a rather shocked silence when a low chuckle alerted them to the fact they had an audience. A tall, handsome with graying streaks in his dark black hair but sharp blue eyes that twinkled, approached, followed by a scattering of Nobles

Serena looked upon the man she and anyone else who knew of Tortal would recognise, the previous king of Tortal, Jonathan of Conte.

After having stepped down from kingship when his son Roald married he had traveled widely, most times with Thayet but occasionally with Alanna and the few of his most trusted friends that were still living. He had returned to Tortal quietly a year or two ago and was always to be found in the shadows behind his son, invisibly steering the kingdom.

And now this man of fortitude and legend was applauding Serena, the exiled child.

"Never before have I seen a performance like that, it's been a long time since the Lioness was bested. You have rare talent child." His blue eyes peered at her and seemed to pierce through the weak façade built up around Serena and into her very soul. She flinched at what he would find there.

Gathering her wits Serena managed to say, with a confidence she didn't feel, "It was purely trickery, sire, were I to verse her again I should doubt my luck stand." Her fighting adrenalin had dropped leaving her in a dangerous low with shattered nerves, though for some reason no one had ever been able to tell when she was nervous. It was difficult now to fight back her shivers.

He laughed at her words then flicked his always-watching eyes back to her. "You have tricked our champion of trickery and that is no mean feat. It seems our lioness has finally found someone truly worthy to take her steed." His eyes turned back to where Lady Keladry lounged lazily against a wall looking thoughtful, "No offense meant." He apologized, eyes twinkling. She shrugged.

What could you say to that? Serena stood silent, it had been a bad move, attention was bad. She needed to leave. Now.

The Lioness moved forward to stand beside Serena, looking grumpy. "Okay, okay, no need to rub it in. I'm senile."

Jonathan of Conte laughed again and laid his arm companionably across Alanna's shoulders, "I you are senile, then I am decrepit."

Alanna sighed theatrically, "Why do you have to rub it in?" the Nobles laughed again. Serena shook her head in dismay, this court was worlds away from her own, how did anyone understand them? Unfortunately Lady Keladry caught the look and grinned, mouthing "I know." Serena frowned a moment more before she remembered Keladry's experience in Yamani court. Great, another person to be wary of, Serena thought.

"Kel? Could you look after the pages for a bit? I need to talk to Alanna about a few things." Keladry nodded and Serena tensed, but to her surprised relief Jonathan walked out with Alanna and the other Nobles, leaving Serena none the wiser. She sighed.

Lady Keladry quickly got to work, teaching the pages first of all, how to hold and draw a sword. To Serena's annoyance, Keladry corrected both the way she held the blade and the way she swung it. It was a long time since she had held a blade and Keladry was probably right but it didn't stop Serena from glowering.

When they finally finished, Serena left in relief and raced with the other pages to the stables, weights banging on her chest. In the stables she breathed in the comforting horsy scent walked into her horse's stall.

She had decided to name the dappled gray Mara, after one of the many Yamani words for wind, for she was a breath of fresh air in the sometimes stifling life of a page.

Saddling her quickly Serena raced outside with her lance across her legs. She was still adjusting to jousting, because though she was physically strong and fit her size and lack of bulk made holding the lance straight all the harder.

To her surprise though there was a number of unknown people waiting at the jousting field and the pages were turning around and trotting back to put their lances away. They whispered excitedly and Serena wondered vaguely what the fuss was.

Having returned her lance she gathered in front of the knights, Robin and Kat next to her and to her surprise saw the 3rd years heading over to join them. Jon, Solen and Christopher nudged their horses through the crowd towards them.

"What's going on?" Kat asked, bouncing slightly as if she were too full of energy.

Jon grinned, "We have to split into groups, a third year and a second year then we get given a horn and are sent out into various parts of the woods, we have to survive as long as safely possible in the woods, up to a week, with nothing but what we've got. They spring it on us at random times so we aren't prepared."

"Okay then kiddies!" One of the men called, Serena still didn't remember his name, "All the second years find yourself a third year partner, it's time for a little journey into the woods."

He grinned rather evilly. "The rules are simple, last as long as possible in the forest, you will be given nothing but a horn to call for aid and the pair who last the longest and are the most successful will be the winners. You must call for aid if either of you is hurt. We will be patrolling the area to see the efficiency of your hiding place and defenses. You must act as if you are within enemy territory, if we can see you then you are being unnecessarily stupid and we will invade your camp and you will fail. You must have no contact with other pairs. Understood?!"

The pages were a mixture of emotions, some looked a bit depressed while others, namely Kat, seemed bursting with excitement. They milled around and found pairs, Jon and Serena paired up while Kat went with Chris and Robin with Solen. Serena laughed when she saw Robin's face."You look positively thrilled!" she grinned at him.

He stuck his tongue out at her and flicked his reins as the followed the group of men out into the woods. They would be dropped off at certain points and would have to come back here when they were done.

They made their way quickly to the drop point and then split up. Serena and Jon were one of the first pairs to go, weeding their way through the trees and discussing what to do.

"If we're to be out here a week we need to find shelter and a water supply." Serena noted, Jon nodded and continued, "Also a high tree or vantage point, those men purposely made it hard for us to get back. We need to get our bearings."

"As soon as we get our shelter we need to collect dry wood and tinder to start a fire and gather food."

Jonathan looked distracted, he peered through the trees then cried triumphantly, "Look, A stream!"

It was true; Serena soon saw the glimmer through the trees. It was barely a trickle of water, but as Jon pointed out it must have a source. They turned their horses up stream and began walking, the trees were thick on either side so the stream was well hidden.

Serena, in front, was riding loosely, her feet out of the stirrups her mind occupied and so when Mara gave a lurch to the front, her feet suddenly finding no purchase, Serena tumbled over her horses head and into the surprisingly deep river.

Except it wasn't a river, when Serena emerged spluttering she looked around to find that the stream sharply widened into a large freshwater spring, hidden by thick vegetation.

She scowled at Jon who was bursting himself laughing and grabbed Mara's reins, leading her through the deep water and onto a patch of clear ground on the other side of the spring. Jon laughing pulled up his legs and nudged his horse through the water, he joined Serena on the other side and rubbed his horse down with some touch grass while she rung out her shirt.

Serena gave Mara a quick rubbing down too and looped her reins over a branch, long enough so she could graze and drink. She turned to find Jon smiling widely and offering her his tunic, Serena poked her tongue out at him and took the tunic behind the trees to change.

When she was finished and her wet clothes draped across a branch to dry, she and Jon began poking around the trees, to find shelter, food and wood. They couldn't find any convenient cave around so they decided on building a shelter between two thick trees, they were in heavy forest so they agreed that the men wouldn't bother looking two hard at what would appear to be fallen branches.

They set up a base of branches they scavenged and covered the top with ferns and more branches, inside they laid down moss and heather and grass for a comfortable bed. Once finished Serena was set to the task of gathering firewood and searching for food while Jon climbed a tree to get their bearings. It was all rather efficient and well done and Serena found herself smiling rather smugly, pleased at how well they had worked together and figured this out.

The firewood had been gathered and neatly stacked ready to be lit and Serena was dutifully picking all the blackberries off a late flowering bush when Jon stumbled back into the little clearing where their horses stood placidly.

Serena walked back, emptying out her pockets before she sat and squished all the berries and listened to his report.

"We are quite a way from the palace, in fact I couldn't even see it from my tree, a hill rose up and blocked it form my view. We are sitting inside a little hollow with small hills on either side, that river we found must go underground or dry up eventually. To head back I think we must head north east to go around the hill then we should be able to see it."

Serena nodded, "That's good" nibbling a small blackberry she made a face at the sour taste, "Well you can see what I've done, and I'm pretty sure there are small fish in the stream that we can catch if we tie our belt knives to long sticks."

Jon rubbed his stomach and picked up a handful of blackberries, inspecting each before he popped it in his mouth, "Good. I'm starving. I'm sure the first and fourth year pages are all sitting down in the hall eating happily right now, laughing at us."

Serena laughed and passed him one of the straighter branches she had found and trimmed for this purpose, "personally, I'd rather be here. I still haven't gotten used of living inside and I never was a big eater." Abruptly she fell silent again, hands still methodically lashing her knife to the stick. She felt extremely guilty about how little she had thought of her previous counterpart Scat and the other urchins, she had been too tired to mope or try to escape and part of her traitorous mind liked the palace. She had friends and food and a place to sleep, she was clean and could practice her fighting skills, why would she want to go back?

She was snapped out of her reverie when Jon waved his spear in front of her face, she gave a sheepish smile and followed him to perch on the bank of the spring, though her mind was still in turmoil.

It took them a long time to catch themselves enough for dinner. The water was murky and the fish were no bigger than Jon's hand span, they flashed in and out of their view and it took a mixture of sharp reflexes and luck to catch them seven okay-sized fish.

Relief at finally catching enough fish and from not having fallen in again disappeared as they began the yucky tasks of gutting and scaling the fish. Also the wood refused stubbornly to light and left Serena in a foul mood, her woodman skills were not as up to date as she had thought.

She scowled deeper when Jon touched the wood lightly and a spark sprung up and engaged the wood. She knew he had magic, though nothing compared with his older brother and father, enough for a few spells, but her Shang training rebelled against the thought she hadn't done her best to light the fire instead taken the easy way out.

Jon looked at her meaningfully, he knew she hated it. She waited for him to ask, this would be the perfect time for him to question her about her past. She waited, but he never asked.

They cooked and ate their food in what varied between comradely and awkward silence. The fish was edible but not the nicest and the blackberries were overly tart but the meal filled their bellies and when they dampened the fire they were happier than before.

"Good night." Jon said, his eyes friendly, Serena dredged up a weak smile to give him and replied.

Curling up back to back in the small shelter they had made, with Jon's jacket spread over them Serena repressed a shudder and welcomed sleep. Anything to escape the silence between her and Jon. A silence that held too many questions.


	9. Chapter 9

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not very long sorry but you'll have to do. Ha! bet none of you expected this, hopefully will update soon I've been having trouble writing as always, doesnt come as naturally as it once did and when ever im in the mood i have no access to a computer, but stop complaining here is my chapter. Review as always, I've been having stunning results on this story. who knew my writing was so good? but keep up the reveiws and I'll give you more chapters as a reward

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"We're meant to do this for a week?" Jon's bored, incredulous voice cut through Serena's drifting daydreams.

She was sitting on the bank of the spring and staring vacantly into the distant. As it turned out they had been a bit too efficient in their choosing and setting up of camp, they had everything they could need and now could not think of a single thing to do. They had done multitudes of things over the day, fixing the shelter, finding breakfast and practicing sword and staff work with roughly whittled weapons and now they were a loss.

"Apparently so." Serena yawned and her thoughts shifted unconsciously back to Scat and her guilt at abandoning him, suddenly she sat up grinning and jumped to her feet.

Jon turned his sleepy gaze on her, "What is it?" Serena smiled at him and grabbed her now-dry clothes and slipped behind the bushes to change.

"Nobody's going to really look for us for about a week are they?" Serna paused while she pulled one foot through her leggings, "I've been thinking about my friends in the city recently, they still don't know what happened to me." Tugging her tunic over her head she heard his grunt. "Yea, so?

Stepping out from the bushes she chucked his tunic at him and sat down to pull her boots on. "Let's go to the city. We proved that we know enough about woodman ship in the first day, we might as well have fun."

He sat up, his hair mused and raised his eyebrows. "You think we could get away with it?"

Serena tied a lace and raised an eyebrow of her own, "I lived in those streets for over a year. I even need to collect some money that I saved up for" her mouth twisted, "Passage back to the isles."

He got to his feet, "Well. It's better than just sitting here, you shall have to introduce this gentle prince to your ruffian life slowly though, I am not accustomed." He gave a courteous bow and Serena kicked his leg, glad that he had gotten rid of the awkwardness.

"You've been listening to Chris too much" She accused, "Only he talks like that."

He held his hand to his heart, "You offend me." Serena just rolled her eyes and got to her feet, running her eyes over the camp. They were ready to go, only needing to take down the shelter and hide the fire's remains.

The tasks were done quickly, they worked together well, and it wasn't long before they were leading their horses down the stream again to where the bush thinned out.

Serena was excited, bouncy slightly and making Mara prance. So much of her had missed street life despite its downers, but her Yamani Noble side had kept her at the palace, saying that this life was her right. Ug. Serena made a face and got rid of the thought, now was not the time.

Jon, who knew the forest and palace grounds far better than Serena, led the way, skirting around the edge of the forest just out of sight.

Where the trees were thin enough they trotted, laughing, this was more of an adventure than camping out. They left the forest and followed the wall for the last stretch and into the city.

Serena had pulled up her hood until they got away from the palace, now she let it fall back, the midday sun gleaming bronze where it struck her hair. Jon glanced at her then held his gaze for a few more seconds, Serena barely noticed, she was scanning the streets for a familiar face.

A cry of happiness left her lips and she swung her legs over Mara's back and down to the ground, Jon's eyes broke away from her face and he followed her, leading his horse after her while she chased a fixed pointed in the shifting crowd.

A break in the crowd showed Jon a scrawny urchin boy whose shocked, dirty face was staring straight at Serena.

"Kit…Serena?" his head tilted like he was working out a puzzle, Serena just laughed.

"Who else in Corus has hair like this?" She asked, tugging a lock of her tigress hair. His face broke into a grin and he launched himself at her, hugging fiercely, she smiled happily and returned the embrace.

"What happened? Where'd you go? You just were gone… Who's _that?_ Where'd you get big nasty horse like that from? We've been looking for you for weeks! We thought the Provost Dogs had snatched you…" They separated as the boy bombarded Serena with questions, she just laughed and shook her head.

When he paused for a moment Serena said, "Let's go someplace else to talk. Why don't we go see Jeremy? I'm sure he's been going crazy looking for me."

The boys eyes narrowed, "As a matter of fact he has, there's not very many places in the city he don't have access to… What did happen?"

"Later." Serena replied shortly, she motioned to Jon. "Scat this is Jon, Jon, Scat. Don't ask any questions yet." She preempted the urchin as he opened his mouth, "Just wait."

Scat sighed with a roll of his eyes, "To the Dancing Dove, I suppose?" Serena nodded then grinned "How 'bout a ride on my big nasty horse?" she waggled her eyebrows but he shook his head fiercely.

"No way, you aint never gonna get me on one of those nasty buggers, soon as step on me as look at me." He glared suspiciously at the horses standing placidly behind Jon, "But let's go, there probably aint any other way to get your story from you."

He dived into the crowd, Serena following with a grinning backward glance, leaving Jon to tug the horses after them.

Jon knew about the Dancing Dove, it was the Court of the Rogue. He had never been there personally, but his grandfather, in his page years, had been close friends with the Rogue himself, who funnily enough was now a Baron and married to the Lioness.

He smiled to himself, maybe history did repeat, this did sound an awful lot like his grandfather's own story of being dragged into the city by his flame-haired friend.

Jeremy must be the present Rogue. Jon knew that the spymaster had links with the Court of the Rogue, though it would never become a fully legitimate organization, it could sneak spy's into far tighter places than the spymaster had ever been able to manage. But there had been Rogues unfriendly to the crown, Jon just hoped Jeremy was not one of them.

Serena appeared suddenly, taking Mara's reins with a smile and beckoned him forward to an inn with a faded sign picturing a white dove. They slipped around the back and Serena gave the horses into the hands of the stable hand who looked at her searchingly and flicked his gaze back to them a few more times as they walked inside.

Jon had only just noted that Scat had gone when the boy popped up again, chuckling, and beckoning them upstairs. Serena mounted the stairs eagerly, her eyes shining in a way Jon had never seen them.

At the top of the stairs a tall man threw open a door and with a cry of "Little tiger!" swept Serena up in an embrace. They drew back and exchanged a few words Jon, a few steps behind, couldn't hear and then the man wrapped his arm companionably round her shoulder and was about to walk into the room when he looked back and smiled.

"Why your Highness! Glad you can join us." He glanced at Serena smiling, "I've had my suspicions, now they're confirmed. You've been at the palace haven't you?"

Serena just shook her head, mouth crooked. "You always were the sharp one Jeremy, still haven't managed to get someone in the palace?"

He looked mournful. "No. But I'm working on it, old Stefan is still there but he reports to George not me. But where are my manners?! Come in Jon and we shall have a nice little chat."


	10. Chapter 10

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Here we are again, now i am immensly happy at all those people who are reviewing but it would be nice if i could get something a little more in depth the 'great chapter' i mean, i loooove knowing my chapters are great but what do you think of Jon, Serena, Jeremy and the storyline?

well anyway go read!

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"Well, well. Of all the things that could have happened this I never imagined. Who would have thought that our Lioness would just pick you up off the streets without a by-your-leave? Though, they are really trying hard to keep relations with the islands smooth, even after so many years allegiances can change because of a single incident. Alanna was probably just trying to make sure. You say she's barely said a word to you since?"

Serena nodded from where she was sitting cross-legged on a large, cushy armchair. They had spent the day talking about what had happened since she had disappeared, Jeremy had mulled it over during dinner and now was firing a few questions at her. Scat was full and asleep on a chair, while Jon, who had barely said a word the whole day, just sat and listened intently. Outside it had begun to rain and Serena, whenever she heard the noise, smiled smugly at Jon.

Jeremy leaned back in his chair and sipped his ale thoughtfully, "It could be she just has too much on her mind to deal with you at the moment and saw that making you a page is a rather simple way to keep an eye on you without much trouble on her part. We have a strong alliance with the Copper Isles, but they are painstakingly repairing the Yamani alliance after their ambassador was killed here a few years ago. Roald and Shinkokami are holding many balls and things to inspire confidence and Alanna is probably right in the thick of it."

Serena noticed Jon's eyes narrow slightly, "You have contacts with the Whisper man don't you? You say you don't have a contact in the palace but you know so much about the workings of the court. George has never taken interest in the pages."

Jeremy gave Jon a sharp look, "That I do young prince, he is a good man and you are sharp. Did you find out about the Whisper man by accident or is it common knowledge?"

Jon shook his head, "No. I found out by listening. Jasson knows because he is the Crown prince and I think Zahira might have figured it out or will soon. George and Alanna are our godparents and Zari has a talent for eavesdropping and knowing things she shouldn't."

Jeremy relaxed and nodded then turned back to Serena, "Do you want to get out? I can pull a few strings so Alanna won't hunt you down." Serena saw Jon stiffen slightly out of the corner of her eye but her eyes were fixed on Jeremy.

"No. I won't come back, I'm happy there, eventually I will leave because I doubt Alanna will let me get my shield any way but then I will probably go back to Yamani. I will come visit you often, more than I have been, and…" she grinned, "You will be happy to have me their because you will finally have a contact in the palace."

Jeremy laughed, "You know me well girl-tiger, you shall be my palace contact though I doubt our prince is too happy about it and nor will Scat be. But this week you shall stay with us and have free reign of the city once more."

Serena yawned. "Sounds wonderful I'm sure but right now all I long for is a bed." She woke Scat with a friendly kick in the side, "You have some I hope?"

The next day they rid themselves of their well-made 'Noble' clothes and dressed more fittingly. Jon was still silent, absorbing everything he could while Serena bounced, boy-ish looking with her hair hidden by a hair and her relatively flat figure. They saw Jeremy at breakfast but after Scat led them into a familiar maze of alleys and streets that was Corus.

Serena smiled happily as she followed Scat's gangly figure through the crowds, this was how she liked seeing Corus markets. Not from astride a tall stepping horse, but rather from beneath, where you were part of the excitement and bustle.

They stopped occasionally for Serena to say hello to people who couldn't forget her, they even got some of yesterdays' buns from a friendly baker.

Jon trailed behind and Serena sometimes lost sight of him in the shifting market crowd but she was a hard person to lose and he always appeared silently a few moments later. They kept walking, Serena refreshing her memory as she traveled, till they reached a partially hidden alley behind a carpenters shop, they slipped down its length to a small door at the end. It opened into an unused storage room that had been Serena's home for a long time, as well as that of many other urchins.

It was empty of any furniture apart from a thin mattress and piles of blankets, two young children slept soundly on the mattress, not even waking as the three entered. Serena glanced affectionately at the sleeping children and stepped quietly past them to the corner of the room. She knelt and ran her hands under a loose floor board, prying it up to expose an earthen hollow beneath where a pouch lay.

The pouch tinkled as Serena picked it up, this was all the money she had saved while in Tortal. It wasn't as full as when she had left it but Serena knew that her stray friends only took money if they really needed it. Slipping the pouch into her shirt she got back to her feet and push the floor board back into place, she smiled at the two waiting boys.

"Where too now?"

The day was spent reacquainting Serena with Corus, she spent some of her money on lunch for the three and a few things that she needed. When they finally stumbled back into the Dancing Dove at night they were laughing and happy, Jon and Scat had even lost some of their stoic silence with each other.

Jeremy spotted them as they came in and whisked them to a table, ordering a batch of cider for them as they went. He sat down in front of them and looked Serena seriously in the eyes.

"I've got some news Serena. I think you'll want to hear it." He looked a bit nervous actually and worried. Serena's felt her face grow wary.

"What is it?"

Jeremy took the jug of cider as it came and poured three glasses while talking, "You have never given me much clue about your family in the Isles, but I have watched your face while I have given you news from there other times and I think I might have a bit of an idea." She began to speak and he held up a hand to stop her. "No let me finish, that wasn't my point. Recently the Yamani Ambassadors haven't been at the palace which is lucky for you, but they are coming back in a few weeks to be present at the many peace talks and balls that our monarchs have set up. And later on in the year more Yamani Nobles will be traveling here, some which I think that you have a connection with."

He sighed then looked at her, she was just staring at her hands, determinedly not looking up. Jeremy reached out and took those hands in his, while the two boys sat unnoticed and said quietly.

"Serena, little tiger, I am one of the only people in this country that knows what happened to you, I can't even begin to imagine what you are feeling or thinking about right now but I can help you. I can get you away from this city so you never have to face them again, or I could send you to the Isles so you can confront the very people who exiled you, just say the word and I will do these things."

Serena thought. She noticed Jon's worried face next to her and knew she would miss him too much if she left, it hurt her to think she would leave behind all her friends in both parts of the city if she did as Jeremy suggested…but there was another way.

Serena lifted her head."What if I stay at the palace? I can be innocuous and stay away from attention, if anyone I know recognizes me by then I should have a better idea about whether to confront them or whether to flee. I don't want to leave." She finished on a defiant note and nobody heard her low whisper, "Not again."


	11. Chapter 11

Im sorry how long this took, had a rather huge break from writing and just started recently when i was thinking about this story. Hope this chapter is to your liking please reveiw!!!

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The week passed by quickly and all too soon Serena and Jon were sneaking back into the forest, detouring round in a wide circle to head back to the rendezvous point.

They didn't ride their horses, trying to be quiet and inconspicuous as they trudged back through the forest. They weren't making a very good job of it though as they were talking rather loudly and making many jokes at their friends expense.

After five minutes of rather content silence Jon abruptly stopped and laughed, "Hey Serena, don't you think we're a little...clean for having spent a week in the forest?"

Serena stopped walking and glanced down at her clothes, they were reasonably clean, her mouth curved into a smile. "Well there's only one way to fix that."

With a laugh she launched herself at Jon, tackling him round the waist into the grass and leaf litter. They rolled down a slope wrestling playfully, their horses staring rather placidly after them.

Serena was laughing too hard to breathe and was too tired to bother fighting back as hard as she could. They reached the bottom of the slope and ended up with Jon on top, holding Serena down while she wriggled and laughed.

"I give up!" Serena exclaimed, panting. She stopped wriggling and stared up at Jon who stared right back at her. For a few moments there was silence but for their heavy panting.

Jon had a strange expression on his face, Serena opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong but was silenced when he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the mouth.

She blinked slowly and stared wide-eyed up at Jon, the strange expression was still there but a slow smile was spreading across his face. Then, without a word he rolled off her and hopped back up the slope, grabbing the reins of the grazing horses.

"There's no point in trying to be quiet now I reckon, we've made too much noise anyway. We might as well just ride."

Serena nodded blankly, she stood up rather unsteadily and brushed some of the leaves off her tunic, Jon chucked her Mara's reins and vaulted up onto his own horse. "Come on lets go!"

They trotted quickly through the forest, back to the jousting courts where a group of pages and a few adults were gathered. Serena was still silent though Jon had kept up a constant chatter since they had got back on their horses.

Breaking out into the open Jon called 'hullo!' to the group of people, causing them to turn and look. Serena gave a small smile when she saw Robin and Solen standing at the edge of the crowd and turned her horse towards them. Robin had a makeshift bandage around his head and looked a bit sorry for himself while Solen had an amused expression on his normally placid face.

"How was your week?" Serena asked, managing to smile. She leapt off her horse with a grace that made Robin cast her an envious glance .

Solen grinned, "It was going well till Robin got knocked off his horse by a branch. We were walking our horses and next thing I know Robin yells and hes on the ground." He laughed and glanced down at his friend."Lucky I knew some first aid."

Robin made a face, "We weren't walking, or at least we were walking very fast. And that branch came out of no where!" he reached up and gingerly touched his forehead then sighed.

Serena chuckled, then she saw Kat and Chris wandering over through the crowd, they were dressed in clean palace clothes and didn't look like they'd just come out of the bush. Robin turned and scowled at them, "And where have you been?"

Kat and Chris looked slightly sheepish. "Well..." Kat began, "We got caught on the second day, we were being too noisy apparently." Chris finished off with a huff. Serena laughed again, then she saw Jon heading over and she grew silent.

"Hey guys! How well did you survive?" He laughed and ran his hand back through his black hair, and the five of them started up a conversation about their trips. Serena tuned out for most the conversation, only listening when she heard Jon explaining what they had done.

"...well Serena found us this great little freshwater spring" He turned at grinned at her, "and we set up came next to it, figured out where we were and made some spears to catch fish with. We just stayed in one place the whole week, it was easy."

Serena stared at Jon, he could lie so well, he just told the truth and then casually slipped a lie in, like an offhand comment. Serena had never been able to lie well, even with her Yamani mask to shield her expressions. Was it a good thing that Tortall's Prince was an efficient liar?

She sighed inside. Almost 2 years in this strange land and she still didn't understand these people.

The 2nd and 3rd year pages had the rest of the day off to their surprised joy. Kat and Serena decided to go have a bath in the steam rooms, Serena hadn't washed the whole week to make it look authentic and now she felt gross and sticky.

With a towel and clean clothes the girls rushed to the bathing rooms, they were quite empty at this time of day and Serena felt less self conscious than usual, she normally bathed in her room, disliking the communal bathing rooms.

Slipping off her clothes she quickly jumped into the water and sighed into the steam. Grabbing a bar of soap she began to wash herself and watched as Kat, much less self-consciously slid down into the bath.

After rubbing herself vigorously down with the soap Serena rubbed it all through her hair then leaned down to the water and tried to wash the soap out without having to duck her head under.

Kat was watching curiously, "Why don't you just dive under to wash the soap out?"

Serena looked up, wincing as some soap dripped in her eye, "I dont like...I'm, um, scared I suppose...I don't swim, I wouldn't even bath if I didn't have too. Putting my head under is just..."

Kat looked surprised. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed you for scared of water. What caused it?"

Serena shook her head. "I don't know...I just always have been." In her head Serena knew that was a lie, she remembered the long days in that tiny boat within the storm, knowing that she had been given a death sentence and expecting it to be carried out at any moment. She knew she would never swim in the ocean again.

"Oh well, let me help then." Kat replied, floating over and pulling Serena's head back gently so the soap could get washed out. They floated around contentedly after that, talking about trivial small things till they looked at their wrinkled fingers and laughingly decided to get out.

Drying themselves off with their towels Kat paused for a second then turned to Serena, "Hey Serena...I was wondering...what do you think of Jon?"

Serena started then turned wide eyes on Kat trying to hold her expression steady, "Why do you ask?"

Kat smiled, "Because only a fool couldn't see the way he looks at you. You also seem much closer to him and than anyone else...but you also seem to be, sort of wary of him or something. I was just wondering like, what was up between you two."

Serena had raised her eyebrows and repressed a tremble at Kat's first sentence and she stuttered and stumbled trying to think of a reply. "I, uh, I don't know. He's my friend, we are just friends, I don't know what your talking about." The lie was utterly obvious, even to Serena, she cursed inwardly wishing she had Jon's skill for lying.

Kat just raised her own eyebrow back at Serena, "Sure. Whatever you say." she replied with a smirk, then turned her back on Serena to towel her hair vigorously. "Now come on, or else we will be late for dinner."

The boys and most of the other pages were already seated with their food my the time Serena and Kat rushed into the Great Hall. They quickly grabbed their food and seated themselves before glancing up to the main table. Alanna wasn't present today so they could eat, Serena took a moment to wonder at the Training Master's absence but her food called her.

"...trust the girls to be late. Probably doing their hair or putting on face paints. Girls." Serena tuned into the conversations around her to hear an arrogant voice speak these words. She glanced up with a sharp comment on her tongue and saw Kat do the same.

The voice came from Dean of Marren, a distant relative of Solen unfortunately, who was rather fond of his older cousin and often sat near. He was an obnoxious, large page in his 2nd year with more skill for wrestling than he would ever have for swordwork, and he had a large dislike for girl pages.

Serena opened her mouth, rather furious, Kat, sitting on her right, did the same. But Jon beat them to it, he turned and looked calmly at Dean, "You know Dean, if I was you I would not disdain these two particular girl pages, because they could, and would, thrash you in a fight...even if they were dressed in pretty dresses with face paints. And then you would still have the rest of this hall of girl pages to deal with, all of whom, I would wager on in a fight, above you." His voice was firm, with an under current of anger and his eyes blazed.

Kat and Serena sat back, surprised and robbed of all their comebacks. Dean also looked taken aback, he opened his mouth to talk but his cousin Solen stopped him, "Oh shut up Dean, there are girl pages, deal with it or go away." This was about the most angry Solen ever got with anyone so Dean shut his mouth and looked down in a huff, sending a cold glare in Serena's direction when Solen wasn't looking.

The rest of dinner passed with friendly chatter that Serena sometimes took part in. She was feeling tired to the bone and wanted to go straight to bed. When dinner, and the complementary desert for the returned 2nd and 3rd year pages was finished she returned her dishes and tried to slip away without anyone noticing.

Unfortunately that wasn't possible and Chris turned round to call her back, "Dear Serena where are you going! We have a whole night free of work, we must celebrate!"

Serena turned her tired eyes back to him, "Oh Chris I'm exhausted! Please let me sleep!"

There was a chorus of 'no' from the group and Serena sighed, steeling herself for a night in company, but then Jon's voice said with authority, "Lets let her sleep tonight guys, she was so busy this week, running round doing everything!"

The group exchanged glances that Serena couldn't read, then smiled at nodded, "Night then!" they called, she smiled back at them and turned to walk to her room.

"Wait up!" she heard a voice call after her and turned around to see Jon leaping out of his seat after her. "I think I'm going to go to sleep too. I'll walk with you."

Serena narrowed her eyes but fell into step besides him, not attempting to make conversation, that was his job.

"I had fun this week. Jeremy is an...interesting guy." his wry tone made the corner of Serena's mouth quirk into a crooked smile.

"Wait till you get to know him."

Jon nodded, his hands deep in his pockets, "I plan to, I'm second in line for the throne but there's always a chance it might come to me. I suppose I must be prepared for anything, and Jeremy is a better ally that many others I could find."

Hmm. That thought made Serena think, she had never really saw Jon as coming to the throne, she didn't think it would suit him and she said so.

"Yes, I agree with you. Jasson has a far more suitable personality, much more pride in this kingdom..."

Serena frowned. "I think you would be a good king, but it would frustrate you, you wouldn't like the responsibility as much as Jasson would. I've never met Jasson but he sounds like a bit of a prat, though as I've experienced they can often turn out to be good rulers."

Jon laughed. "Well I've never heard anyone call the Crown Prince a prat before. No, he's ok, not the easiest person to get along with but he will be a great king."

"Well that's good." They reached Serena's door and Serena turned to Jon, "Good night then, I'll see you at training in the morning." She smiled at him then turned to unlock her door.

Jon lingered for a few moments looking like he wanted to say something, he finally blurted out "Goodnight" and walked slowly back down the corridor. Serena watched him go then smile, "Your room is in the other direction!" she called after him.

He turned and grinned back at her, "I know! I'm not sleepy, I just wanted to walk you to your room." he gave a her sweet smile then walked off, Serena laughed and smiled happily though her heart was uneasy. She walked into her room, closing the door after her and feel into her bed gratefully.


	12. Chapter 12

Heres another chapter for any faithful readers still here!!! thought you guys deserved something good after such a long wait. Hope you like the chapters!! i might be able to get in another one before i go away but no promises. MERRY CHRITMAS!!!  


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Midwinter was approaching fast and the days were growing colder and shorter. There was also less and less time till the Yamani ambassadors and Nobles were to come to the Palace. Serena didn't know what she would do if they took an interest in the pages...and her. But whether it was that, or the approaching midwinter festivals, there was an atmosphere of excitement around the palace that put a spring in even the pages' steps.

Training was cold and hard but it was a relief for Serena, the Isles were cold and she hated working in the heat, it also distracted her from brooding or getting bored as her work load increased.

The rhythmic crack of swords was calming to Serena and she moved easily in the pattern. Alanna would come to train Serena if she had time, if not she would normally train with the 3rd years in dueling but today Serena had chosen to join her fellow 2nd years in the seemingly tedious exercises of high, middle, low. The movements forced Serena to release the tension building in her muscles.

So when the bell rang for the end of sword training Serena didn't sigh in relief as the other pages did, she clapped Kat on the back and they dropped their swords and went together to meet Haukim for hand-to-hand training.

Kat had improved significantly since Serena had come and Serena had touched up on her own skills, Serena was easily the better fighter when it came to skill, discipline and stamina but Kat was physically enhanced to make her stronger and faster than Serena generally was. They were about equal when it came to fighting, though Serena couldn't help the thought that Kat was only as good as her because of magic, and magic was cheating.

But when you fought Kat it didn't feel like she was cheating, she was pure speed and strength and it took quite a lot of training and tricks to beat her, it was great practice actually and taught Serena a lot about not underestimating her opponent, Kat certainly didn't look like much.

However today when they walked up to Haukim with a smile and a hello he grinned back but sent Kat to train with the other pages for today. She went but cast a questioning glance back at Serena, Serena ignored her, watching Haukim warily.

He waited till Kat was out of earshot then turned back to Serena and cocked his head, like he was trying to figure something out.

"You know that the Yamani Nobles and Ambassadors are coming to the midwinter festivals?" he asked, picking dirt from his fingernail.

Serena nodded. Haukim frowned.

"Then why are you still here may I ask? I thought you would run and hide, any Shang as good as you would have had contact with these particular Nobles."

Serena bit her lip. She didn't know the answer, she had no idea why she was still at the palace, so she twisted her face and gave the easiest answer. "Because the Lioness would have come and got me if I left."

Haukim rolled his eyes, "We both know that Alanna is occupied with preparations for Midwinter, even she wouldn't be able to find the time to chase after a runaway page. You have just over a week before they arrive, did you have any plans?"

Serena hung her head and truthfully replied "No..."

"And you still prefer your presence, alive, in Tortall to remain secret?"

Serena nodded slowly, something about what he just said bothered her.

Haukim turned his kind eyes on her, "Look, I can probably organise for you to be out of any spotlights during midwinter, give me a day or two and I can figure out how to keep you secret. The only thing is, I will have to talk to Alanna and the King because they might be likely to comment on the new 'Shang' page. Is that ok with you?"

Serena sighed and rubbed her face with her hand, I was the only solution. "Yes. Thats fine." something was still bugging her.

"Good. Now I wanted to show you some more strength exercises which Kat obviously doesn't need." He spent the rest of the time teaching her different ways to build up muscle. Serena couldn't help but admire his intelligence, this would be the perfect reason for him sending Kat away and would save Serena from having to explain anything.

The bell rang and Serena walked away aching, Haukim called after her loudly, "Now I want you to do those exercises regularly!"

Kat walked up glancing back at Haukim, she looked curious and asked "Exercises?"

Serena rubbed her sore arms and replied, "For strength, you don't need to do them of course."

Kat nodded but Serena wondered absentmindedly how much she actually believed, not much got past her sharp black eyes.

They ran to the stables, weight harness banging painfully against their chests and saddled their horses. Serena felt better once she was up on Mara's back and she led her horse out of the stable and vaulted up once they were on the jousting field.

Grabbing a lance, not waiting for Kat, Serena got straight in line for the dummy. She was managing to hit the dot every time or so now, only on windy days did she have problems with the large lance

She made a good run that day, hitting the dot 5 times in a row despite her aching arms. She wondered dryly whether Haukim's strengthening techniques were already working. But that was a good day for jousting, despite a light wind she hit the dot every time but once and managed to duck under the sand bag and avoid a bruise when she missed. She was feeling much better and Mara had had a good run when they finally headed back.

Brushing Mara down the unease about Haukim came back as she had time to think, it worried her all through lunch and into her first class.

The priest in charge of teaching algebra was snappy and didn't particularly like Serena but even him slapping his cane across her desk didn't make her jump to attention. The problems on the page in front of her blurred and she was lost in her unease.

Then when the bell rang it was like the answer ringing in her head. Serena jumped up and rushed off, leaving the priest infuriated behind her as she swept past the extra work that was her punishment for dozing off.

Serena ran straight to the practice courts, realising when she got there that Haukim wouldn't be there after he had finished training the pages. She swore as she looked around, she didn't know where else he would be.

"Looking for Haukim?" a steely voice behind her asked. Serena whipped round, her bright hair flying to see the Shang Hawk standing casually, playing with a blade.

"Yes" Serena replied, fighting back terror, "I am"

The Shang Hawk smiled smoothly, "Down the corridor, third door on the left. Knock before you enter." Her smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you." Serena said in a rush and stumbled off.

She reached the door the Shang Hawk had directed her too, it had Haukim's name inscribed on it. Serena knocked tentatively.

"Come in!" came a voice from inside, Serena pushed open the dorr slowly to see Haukim sitting at a desk painting with a fine paintbrush and black ink.

"Oh, sorry to interrupt." Serena said but stopped halfway through her instinct to back out of the room. She had to find out.

"It's fine Serena." He placed the brush done carefully, "What did you some here for? Do you not have classes?"

Serena fidgeted, still holding onto the door. "Yes. I do. But you said something earlier..."

Haukim sighed, "Close the door Tiger."

Serena winced slightly at the nickname but closed the door obediently and stood in the center of the room, hands loosely behind her back, like she had been trained to do.

"What did you want to ask?" he queried.

Serena took a breath. "Before you were talking about me and you said...something about my presence in Tortall, _alive." _Her eyes searched his face. "You put emphasis on the word 'alive', why? Why would you think that people in Yamani think I'm dead?"

Haukim smiled slightly, "You are very perceptive. Good. Yes, Serena I do know some of your history, I am in fact friends with your parents...or at least I was. And on a trip to the Yamani Isles once I met a promising young Shang with fiery tigress hair who twirled on the fighting courts as if she was dancing."

Serena was surprised. "I never knew, never guessed that you knew anything about me. Why?"

Haukim frowned then, "That is the beauty of Yamani culture I suppose, we wear our mask of emotionlessness and can lie better than anyone in the world. I wanted you to trust me, because when I first saw you, I did not know the story of your outcast when I first saw you but it was sadly easy to find out. I'm sorry if I went behind your back to find this out, I was going to wait till you trusted me enough to tell me."

Serena put a hand to her forehead and sat down with a thump. "How much do you know?"

Haukim looked gently but questioningly at her, "That there was a prince who was murdered and you were given the capital punishment. Every one thinks your dead. You should be dead."

"I know...its all thanks to a storm that I am not..." Serena closed her eyes tight and shuddered with memories. "I did not murder that man. I woke up with his body on top of me and my dagger in his heart. But I did not murder him. It was not me."

"I believe you." Haukim's voice was gentle. "Now that you know that I know, may I do some digging for you? Find out who might of done it, and what the situation is now?"

"What good would it do? By chance I am alive and have a new life, should I really try mess around in my past?"

"There is currently a lot of political unrest in the Isles, many Nobles and Royals have died or been killed in the past 10 years or so, its a bad state of affairs and there have even been fights between the Shang and the Royals, there are rumors of the Shang pulling out of the courts and becoming separate. It would be a disaster."

Serena rubbed her forehead tiredly, "So?"

Haukim looked at her disapprovingly, "Listen, child. The Shang unrest was started just 2 years ago, you were the start of it. The first rift between the Shang and the Royals. The Shang had enormous hopes for you, if it could be proved that you are innocent it could make the world of difference.

"And I could go home?" Serena asked, a tendril of hope beginning to grow within her heart.

Haukim smiled at her, "Yes."

Taking a deep breath Serena replied, "Then I suppose I give you permission to dig deeper into the story...and talk to Alanna and the King"

"Thank you for your trust." He nodded. "Now I have a few ideas for keeping you secret..."

Roald rubbed his head tiredly and thought, he had bags under his eyes and hadn't been getting much sleep recently. Beside him Alanna sat, looking her age, with gray streaks in her bright hair.

"How do we know it isn't true? That she didn't kill that man? We don't want to go defending her if she really is a murderer." Roald replied, looking across his desk to where Haukim sat, Lady Keladry beside him.

Alanna frowned. "I don't believe she did it. I don't see her as the type."

"But you don't _know _do you. We have no way of knowing." Roald replied.

"That's why you must let me find out!" Haukim insisted, "I'm am quite sure that her parents are not part of the ambassadors coming to Corus but chances are that some will know of her. We need to keep her secret, if not for her sake then for the fact the Yamani will not take well to us having an exiled 'murderer' as a page. And then I can look into the issue, find out what really happened. She didn't kill him."

Roald looked at Haukim, "Why do you care so much about this?"

Haukim's eyes reflected sadness. "Her parents were my very close friends from my childhood, we stayed close even when I left the Isles. Then almost two years ago they stopped talking to me, didn't reply to any of my letters, refused to see me. They blamed the Shang for their daughters fall from grace and apparent 'death'. I met Serena when she was about 7, she was already the best fighter her age and was obviously going to go far. I wish to heal the rifts."

Lady Keladry nodded. "I agree with Haukim. The unease in the Isles is bad. If they are out of sorts with the Shang then there will be trouble. Maybe even civil war. If this child is the key then we must protect her." She smiled fondly, "I also rather like her."

Roald sighed and made a face at Kel. "Fine. Have it your way, what must I do?"

"Nothing. Just make sure that the subject of our little Tiger never comes up with the Yamani. That's all you should do." Haukim replied, seriously.

"No asking about their relationship with the Shang?" he asked.

"No!" Haukim replied firmly. "That will be a sensitive issue. Best to leave it to me and Kel." Kel nodded in agreement.

"What can I tell my wife?" Roald asked, smiling when he thought of his Yamani bride.

"Nothing. At least nothing to do with Serena, she hasn't had contact with the pages before so its unlikely she will say anything and doesn't need to know." Haukim replied, face set.

Alanna sighed, she had been unusually quiet and she looked weary. "If you don't mind I need my sleep. I agree with Haukim on this matter. Goodnight Sire, Haukim, Kel." She bid them as she rose and headed out the door.

"I suppose that ends things" Roald said with another sigh. "Off to bed then." he waved Kel and Haukim away, they bowed and headed out the door.

Roald rubbed the back of his head. "This child better be worth it." he grumbled quietly, flicking off the lamp and leaving for the night.


	13. Chapter 13

Serena stared in the mirror and sighed. She looked so..._dull._ And ordinary. Like just another one of those people in a crowd. She knew it was important that she didn't attract attention, at least not for the next few weeks, but did she have to give up this?

She sighed again and tugged a lock of her, newly dyed, hair. It was now almost fully black, with just two streaks of colour in the front. This was just part of Haukim's plan to keep her low key. Or a declaration of her non-individuality, Serena thought with a huff.

She had spent the whole day having the same conversation over again, _"oh you dyed your hair! Why?" "What happened to your hair?" "Jeez, what happened to you," ..._ and it hadn't left her in the greatest mood.

The 7 day midwinter festivals started in 2 days and today was the day that the Yamani arrived. Haukim had decided that Serena would be best hidden in plain sight so she was moving into the chambers next to his and was to be his assistant in the next few days.

Though goddess knows why a hand-to-hand instructor needs an assistant, Serena thought, still grumpy. She was posing as the daughter of a Yamani father who had moved to Tortall before she was born but had died while she was still young, Haukim had then taken her in as his assistant.

Ug. Serena made a face at herself in the mirror to hide the fact she was a jumble of nerves. Haukim had told her that her parents weren't amongst those arriving but she was still nervous to see people she knew.

Kat had worked a bit of magic on her face with paints, changing her complexion and the shape of her lips and eyes. Serena just reckoned she looked ridiculous but had been assured it was fine. Tugging her hair back with a grimace, Serena tied it in a way that made her last streaks of colour even less obvious.

Her page duties and classes had been canceled as she needed to really needed to be Haukim's assistant if the charade was too work, she wasnt letting herself get out of practice though and had trained early in the morning wearing her weight harness.

But now, now was time to go greet the ambassadors arriving at the palace and the harness lay unused on top of Serena's chest. With a wry smile Serena thought that she would rather wear that harness any day if it meant getting out of this.

Checking herself once more in the mirror Serena steeled her face then walked out into the corridor and headed off at a face walk towards the Great Hall where Haukim was waiting for her.

Her and Haukim were involved in the greeting of the visiting dignitaries because they were both Yamani, so was Jon and his siblings. When she entered the Great Hall her eyes found him, dressed in all his Yamani finery and was surprised at how much the clothes suited him, he seemed to manage to be at ease in every situation, proved by the easy, comforting smile he threw her as she scurried to Haukim's side.

Next chapter! sorry it took awhile and the chapter sounds kind ov uncomplete but it will have to do for now im afriad. Enjoy!

* * *

Barely minutes after she arrived King Roald and Queen Shinkokami swept into the room, the Queen looking beautiful and regal, while Roald looked much more comfortable in his own Tortallen robes.

They had a small wait after that before a Yamani courtier came into the hall, placed his hands on his thighs and bowed, then announced the arrival of the Yamanis, listing their names and titles in a monotonous voice. Serena rolled her weight onto her heels, it had been a long time since she had to stand through these ceremonies and she wasn't used to the seemingly endless hours standing still. Looking at the fidgeting Tortallens though, Serena realised that the ceremony would be even more tedious to them.

Tuning into the names being listed Serena recognised one, Sorya, she was the daughter of one of the Yamani Nobles and had spent a few months at Shang underneath Serena's tutelage, rather odd seeming as Sorya had been a year older. They had started off rocky but by the end when Sorya's parents had withdrawn her they were quite close.

Serena looked up in time to see Sorya descending the stairs into the great hall, Serena gasped. In the time she had been gone Sorya had turned into a stunningly beautiful girl, she looked amazing in the formal Yamani dress and moved with a grace Serena knew she could never manage. Sorya bowed to the king and queen then moved smoothly into her place beside the other Yamanis, as she walked past Jon Serena noticed her glance sideways and smile, surprised she looked quickly at Jon, in time to see him smile back.

Serena turned her gaze firmly back to the floor. Suddenly she was in a bad mood.

Haukim had made sure she didn't actualy have to do anything in this ceremony, except be present, so Serena just stood still through all the names and titles and ceremonial words that were spoken. She didn't pay much attention, except to send sneaky glances at Sorya and Jon, both looked quite interested in the ceremony going on, Sorya hadn't even spared Serena a glance which was a good thing but bugged Serena slightly for no reason.

Looking a Sorya's openly interested face Serena realised how suited to the Tortallen court she was, Sorya had never been good at keeping her emotions in check like a good Yamani. With an inward snort Serena realised that Sorya was most likely here to get betrothed off to some Tortallen Noble.

Two sharp claps broke Serena out of her reverie, the King and Queen had risen and were offering the Yamani a tour of the palace. Serena glanced at Haukim to see if she had to stay and he nodded giving her a stern look. Serena sighed and waited for the King and Queen to lead the Yamani out, then fell into step beside Jon.

"How are you?" he asked quietly as they walked with the crowd.

"Fine." Serena replied rather sharply, Jon glanced surprised at her face and saw her nerves then smiled gently.

"Its ok, none of them even looked at you. They don't suspect anything."

Serena nodded silently. To her surprise the words made her eyes sting and water, she glanced downwards and blinked furiously till the feeling went away.

Jon and Serena stood far back in the crowd as they walked around the Palace grounds, as an assistant and a second son neither expected that they would be needed for anything. They talked lightly about unimportant things in case anyone was listening and were both genuinely bored when Haukim made his way back to them and told Serena that she could go. Jon asked hopefully if he could to but Haukim shook his head, Serena laughed at him and he punched her in the arm but gave her a quick hug before she went, which surprised her. She stood awkwardly until he released her, then said 'bye' and left rather quickly.

Once in her new rooms Serena changed quickly and pulled on a cloak with the hood up. She needed to get out of the Palace.

It wasnt hard to sneak out and once she was in the city no one could find her unless she wanted them to. Instead of going to the Dancing Dove like she had intended Serena went to the markets and spent the afternoon shopping for midwinter gifts for her friends.

She bought Kat a small amber pendant in the shape of a flame, Chelsea a small book on Alanna the Lioness whom she loved and Robin got a smooth stone that had the Yamani symbol for balance etched into it as he was the most gawky unbalanced person she knew. Her other friends all got bags of sweets, but when it came to Jon Serena didn't know what to buy. She wandered the markets for a long time trying to find the perfect thing, but he was the son of a king, what could she give him that he didn't already have?

Eventually Serena gave up and went to see Jeremy, the dancing dove wasnt too busy at this time of day and he was up in his room writing a letter, when she knocked on the door he put his pen down and gave her a sweeping hug.

"How was it?!"

Serena sighed, "Fine. Nothing happened, no one looked at me or anything."

Jeremy gave her a searching look. "You sound disappointed."

Serena made a face. "I have spent far too long in this country, my emotions must be as clear as glass to everyone..." she paused. "Not disappointed as such I just...it was sort of an anticlimax, I expected _something _to happen, something to change but nothing did. Nothing at all."

Jeremy nodded. "And chances are nothing will. They probably wont pay any attention to you at all. But do you want them to notice you?"

Serena thought about it and shook her head. "No. I don't think so. I was just all worked up and ready for something to happen. But maybe they really have forgotten me over there. It wouldn't be unlikely."

Jeremy smiled gently, "Well even if one day you decide to leave Tortall and return I can promise you that your friends here will never forget you."

Serena gave him a crooked smile and leant over to hug him. "Thanks Jeremy."

* * *

Serena dragged herself out of bed before dawn, dressed and went down to the practice courts. She had discovered that the Yamani ladies spent their mornings practicing with glaives, a weapon she had missed sorely after leaving the isles.

She had joined in tentatively the first few days, not wanting too show too much skill or harm any of the Nobles. She soon found out that all her time out of practice had left her very far behind the other ladies in skill and endurance with the glaive.

There were about 5 women waiting on the practice courts today, a bit less that usual. Today the women were made up of the Queen, Sorya, Zahira the princess and two Yamani ladies called Lady Ira and Lady Taria.

Zahira was a little spark with the glaive but wasnt strong, the two ladies were very skillful but didn't have the same competitive spirit that Sorya and the Queen had. Serena once was very good at the glaive but now found herself almost struggling to keep up if she versed the Queen or Sorya, they were a good challenge though and Serena had fun pitting herself against them.

Sorya had barely given Serena a second glance, even when she was introduced. It really seemed like she had forgotten Serena, it hurt, quite a bit but as a good Yamani does Serena slipped it behind her mask and forgot about it.

Everyone partnered up and began, Serena found herself facing the Queen, she smiled and bowed slightly. Then they lifted their glaives and began and Serena lost herself in the intricate dance patterns of the glaive.


	14. Chapter 14

SORRY. Here you go. Hope you like it. Hope i can update again soon. Its really late right now otherwise i would do more. NIIIGHT. ENJOY.

* * *

Serena brushed her damp hair back from her face and walked to breakfast in the great hall. On the way their she heard some one call her name and turned to see Sorya smiling at her.

"May I walk with you?" she asked politely with a slight accent.

Serena blinked in surprise and nodded, "of course." they walked in silence for a few steps "Are you enjoying your stay in Tortall?"

Sorya glanced at Srena with her wide eyes. "Its very...odd" she stated with a straight face, then giggled. Serena glanced at her surprising display of emotion, then gave a wry smile.

"You have no idea" She replied with a small head shake, "Where are you headed?"

Sorya frowned slightly, a large display of emotion for a Yamani, Serena remembered she had never been good at being reserved and dignified, "I don't really know, I have sort of been let loose because no one knows quite what to do with me, my parents arnt here you see, they sent me along to 'experience the western culture' Yasaki Goddess knows why. But I thought I might break my fast in the main hall where all the pages eat. If That's alright?"

Serena gave a have smile at the name Yasaki, Yamani Goddess of fire, she had always been Serena's favourite goddess, partly because Yasaki's token animal was the tiger.

"I'm sure it should be fine, I don't see why not. The Yamani visitors are welcome everywhere." She began to relax a little more, releasing the tension in her shoulders, Sorya did not seem to recognise her at all and wasn't at all curious.

"Great! Sorya paused for a few moments, biting her lip, "Do you...Are you friends with prince Jonathan?"

Serena looked up, surprised. "...Yes I do know him. Why do you ask?"

She smiled happily "Oh wonderful. Oh well I met him once, when he came to the Isles, hes nice. I don't know many people here either. And well...hes very good looking" she blushed modestly, "My parents kept telling me to act my best and I might make a good marriage over here, because no Yamani Noble wants a girl who can't keep her emotions in check. But my family isn't very powerful and I have a small dowry, I doubt a match with prince Jonathan would ever happen." She sighed.

Serena went to speak, and was surprised to find her teeth clenched, she unclenched them and spoke, " He is nice." She replied tightly, "And the Royal family here is very nice, they want diplomatic marriages for their children but would never say no to love...if it was love."

Sorya bounced in her step again slightly, "Oh how nice!" She replied, then fell silent as they reached the great hall.

They walked in to the noise and bustle just as everyone was starting to settle with their food. Serena heard Sorya exclaim slightly under her breath at the chaos of the place. They went and got food, modest portions as was the Yamani way, then wandered across the room to where Jon and their friends were sitting. Serena's shoulders were tensed up and she sat down unhappily.

"Sorya!" Jon exclaimed, "I wasn't sure it was you I saw at the ceremony, you're much taller than when we first met." He stood up politely as she took her seat, blushing sweetly.

"It has been nigh a year, Your Highness, it is good to see you well." She replied, bowing her head to him, he shook his, frowning "Nay! Away with all the pleasantry and etiquette, how are you?"

Serena tuned out of the conversation, face blank, she ate her food in stony silence, ignoring any nagging thoughts in the back of her head trying to explain her unhappiness. She didn't see any of the concerned glances Robin and Kat sent her way, or the contemplating ones from sweet little Chelsea. She only tuned back into the conversation when she heard Jon saying he would show her around, it was the first day of Midwinter today to there was no page training, Sorya agreed enthusiastically and they rose to leave. Jon turned to her, as if he was going to ask her to come, but Serena lifted her plates and left the table in a hurry before he could.

She almost trotted out of the Great Hall, down the corridors back to her rooms. She didn't know what that had been about but she swept her coat around her shoulders and hastened out to the stables. She wanted to go to the City, she was sick of the Palace.

The moment she stepped into the stable her nerves were calmed, the horsey smeel and soft nickers were always good for that. Saddling up in a rush, she was trotting down the road to the city in no time.

Coins jingled in her purse, she had to buy small presents for all her friends for Midwinter but first stop was to see Jeremy.

The Dancing Dove looked the same as it always had, paint flaking off its sign which swung slightly in the breeze and noise of rowdy drunks and quiet conversation going on at all times of day and night. She didn't hesitate outside long, throwing Mara's reins to the stable hand out back and shinning up a wall to climb in through Jeremy's open window.

She landed on the floor in a dim room "Jeremy?" she called and heard a curse in reply.

"For Mithros' sake child stop doing that! Now turn around and don't look."

Serena laughed and happily obliged, tapping her foot softly till Jeremy grunted his consent. She turned around in time to see him pulling his shirt over his well muscled, well scarred chest. There was a new scar though, a large red slash in his side, Serena stepped forward lips pursed.

"What was that? When did that happen?" She exclaimed.

Jeremy grunted again, opening some blind to light up the room. "A few weeks ago? It was nothing, just a few enthusiastic lads who got a bit aggressive. How are you? What brings you to this part of town?"

Serena frowned at him. "A few weeks? And you just havent told me about it? Hmmph. Nothing much, the Yamani Nobles are boring and show no signs of recognising me. Because of course, who expects to find the dead girl in some other country?" She said bitterly, slumping into a chair.

"I'm sensing some bitterness here?" Jeremy replied. "And no its been too long since you have last come down. Lots change in a month or two."

"'aint that the truth." She mumbled back. "Ug. Not bitterness as such, just...Well, I don't know, but I needed to get out of the palace."

He nodded. "Understandable. Is it problems with Jon?"

Serena's head snapped up. "What do you mean, problems with Jon? What kind of problems?"

He looked a bit taken aback at her fierce reply, "Oh I thought...? No? Don't worry, don't worry..." He stood up and rumaged around the room, pulling a small brown package out of somewhere, he chucked it to her. "Thats for you, to open on Midwinters, you hear?" He threw another at her. "And That's for Jon."

Serena glanced down at the irregular shaped packages in her lap, "Thanks I guess..."

Jeremy flashed a smile at her, "No problem. Now, tell me whats the happening at the palace?"

* * *

On Midwinters day Serena woke up late.

In contrast to her usual predawn starts she woke up once the sun had risen well over the horizon. Disoriented, yet feeling great she rolled out of bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

And to her surprise she noticed, on her desk, a small pile of presents, wrapped delicately.

Wondering vaguely how they got into her room she went and grabbed them all, then sat cross legged on her bed while she picked up the first one.

The first was from Robin, a book on great women warriors of the past. _Trust him to get me a book,_ she thought.

After that she had various bags of sweets, a wrought iron bracelet in the pattern of fire, some glaive cleaning oil and another book.

The last present she had saved till last because she knew by the wrapping whose it was.

The wrapping was a traditional Yamani thing, it had the characters of luck and peace and prosperity delicately written across it. She broke the wrapping apart ripping it as little as possible.

I the center was a necklace a painting and a note.

The note said, '_never forget where you've come from. Love Jon." _Serena didnt spend long wondering about that because her eyes were caught by the necklace. It was stunning, the face of a tiger, with two small orange stones for the eyes. Serena's own eyes grew watery.

The last thing, the painting made her heart throb.

In Yamani a great painter had once drawn her when she was 8, mid kick, with her hair streaming around her face and her eyes blazing. The painting had been quite famous, and with it so had she. And here, in her lap, was this painting.

Not the original, but that fact made it ultimately more precious. This painting was a copy, but in it she was not 8, but instead as she was now, and Jon, with his skill with the brush, had somehow managed to show all the pain and fear and struggles she had gone through, in this one simple painting.

A single tear dropped and splashed on the corner of the painting. Serena moved it away so it wouldnt get damaged then rested her head on her knees and cried quietly for everything she had lost and everything she had gained and for this strange, western boy whom she couldnt figure out.


	15. Chapter 15

Heres another chapter, not very long but i couldnt bear to put anything else on it. I think you guys will love this. Review, send

* * *

The rest of Midwinter passed quickly, Serena spent her days performing all her duties, then disappearing off into the depths of the library to read and avoid curious friends' questions.

She wasn't avoiding her friends, she told herself firmly, she was avoiding the Yamanis, and especially Sorya who constantly followed her and chattered non-stop, often about what it would like to be a princess in this palace. Serena just withdrew behind her mask and nodded occasionally to the girl, finding an excuse to run off as soon as possible.

The whole Yamani visit turned out to be almost an anticlimax really, they came and they left without a single one giving her an odd look. Serena felt almost disappointed, she didn't realise she would be forgotten so quickly and so thoroughly. In fact most of the time she spent in library was not reading but more or less just staring at the page blankly, mulling over different scenarios of what would happen if someone _had _recognised her. But like many things that you spend hours upon hours imagining, it never came to pass.

So with a feeling of slight chagrin she watched the final ceremony as the Yamani went to depart. Her lips tightened slightly as she watched as Jon and Sorya gave up on formal bows and hugged one another tightly, they would be a good match, a voice whispered in her mind.

I don't care, she replied to herself.

The farewell ceremony was all smiles, relations between the Isles and Tortall were strong once more and the Tortall court had an air of relief that lightened the mood. Serena hadn't noticed the gloom that had been settled around the Nobles of the court before Midwinter, or the tension in it since, but now it was gone she could see the difference it made. The crows feet on King Roald's face were smoothed out and his shoulders comfortably relaxed.

As soon as the ceremony was over Serena wandered back to her room, shutting the door behind her she sat down on her bed and stared at the ground. It was hard to believe it was over, page duties would start again in a day and then there was only a few months till summer camp. And then her first year, as a second year page, would be over.

She was surprised to find she wanted to come back next year, the Palace had a comforting routine to it which she had missed during her time on the streets. She had a warm bed, lots of food and a beautiful horse. Plus a few strange, but amazing friends whom she wouldn't give up for the world.

The sun sank in the sky as she sat there pondering and eventually she just curled up under the covers of her bed and sank into a deep, comfortable sleep.

….

Serenas eyes were wide with terror, she swallowed heavily and pressed herself against the wall of the horse stall she was in. On the ground twisting in the straw in front of her twisted a sinuous black snake whos head was reared to attack.

Serena bit her lip and sobbed softly. She was _terrified _of snakes, a deeply rooted phobia which paralysed her muscles and made her shake with fear.

And this one was about to attack.

She had come into the stall while Mara was out in the field to clean her tack, and had stepped on the snake buried in the straw. Now, consequently it was slowly slithering towards her and Serena could not even make a sound to save herself.

There was a loud clatter outside and Serena's eyed flickered in that direction, the moment her eyes left the snake however, it struck.

It moved extremely fast, sinking its fangs into her leg twice before she had time to scream. She gave a choked cry, lashing out at the snake, missing and only causing it to sink its teeth once more into her arm.

Serena moaned in pain, from the numbness fast spreading in her body she could guess this snake was poisonous, her leg collapsed beneath her and she screamed again as the snake lashed out at her shoulder. She rolled away from it, hearing someone coming running, yelling for help. Spots flickered on her vision and her body succumbed to the numbness, drifting away.

….

Grey shapes drifted around her, making incomprehensible sounds like spectres in a dream. A cool hand rested upon her brow and words were spoken above her. Then feeling shot like fire through her veins and she screamed in shock and pain.

Her eyes shot open and she found herself lying on the floor of the horse stall, head resting in Jon's lap, he was leaning over her, hand on her brow looking pale-faced and worried.

"Serena? Serena?" He brushed her hair back from her face with his hand, "Are you OK? I should have come in quicker, I didn't hear you!" he explained in a rush. "Daine was outside, she got the snake out." H swallowed. "There was so much blood..." He stopped and Serena could feel his hand trembling.

He breathed out one long breath. "We have to get you too the palace. I know some magic, but not enough." He stood up, slipping his arms underneath her and lifting her with him. Serena was still too dazed to reply or protest, her head reeled with vertigo as he began to walk, but s stray thought did cross her mind, wondering at the fact slim Jon was able to carry her, she was only slightly shorter than him and no thinner.

She must have blacked out for the rest of the trip because when she awoke she was on a bed and felt slightly better. She turned her head to the side and saw a man in a white coat walking towards her, he had a kind face but green magic sparkled around his fingers.

Serena swept her feet off the bed and onto the ground, sitting up, her head roared and her vision went black for a few moments. When she could see again she stood and backed away from the man quickly.

He looked confused, "I'm not going to hurt you, I just need to burn the poison out of your bloodstream." Serena shook her head vigorously.

"No. It wont kill me. No magic." She stopped shaking her head, it made her dizzy, then turned and ran out of the room. Jon called after her "Serena!"

He caught up to her easily, grabbing her shoulder. She stumbled on a step and he sighed and swung her into his arms again. He silenced her protests, "No magic I promise, I'll take you to your room."

Serena didn't know how long it took to get to her room, her head was resting against Jon's chest, there was no where else to put it, and she felt amazingly content. He smelt like soap and horses.

He laid her on her bed in her room, pulling the blankets over her.

"No magic." She croaked quietly. He took her hand in his and nodded. "No magic."

Serena fell asleep like that, happier than she should have been considering the snake attack. But Jon was by her side, so everything would be fine.


	16. Chapter 16

Had a sudden inspiration to write tonight, one that hasn't happened in a while. I suppose it was because I got ANOTHER story alert on this, which is a bit ridiculous because I have a huge amount now and I swear I haven't posted in forever. I had to read back over parts of the story again just because I had forgotten half of it. I'm sorry for the loong gaps in between chapters. You just need to encourage me some more! Yell at me to write and I will write.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, its quite long (at least I think, god knows I haven't been on here so I wouldn't have any idea) And if you reeeeally want another one soon then all you need to do is remind me otherwise I promise you that I will forget.

Enjoy!

* * *

He stayed by her side for two days while she waited for the poison to drain from her system. She had been bitten five times, thrice on the leg, on her hand and on her shoulder. They would leave scars. The snake that had bitten her was extremely venomous and quite common throughout Tortall, they very rarely attacked though, Serena had just been unlucky.

It didn't help her fear of snakes much, she had always been afraid of them, for no particular reason that she could remember. She could just recall throughout her life any encounters with snakes making her shake with fear.

And this episode wouldn't have helped at all. Serena grimaced silently as she sat up, she felt tired, but no longer nauseated and she could tell by the clearness in her head that she was not longer sick.

Jon was asleep at the moment, curled up on the cot that had been pulled up next to her bed, his hand dangled off the side and his face was obscured by mused black hair. Serena felt a rush of affection for him and, on impulse, reached out and brushed the hair from his eyes.

He didn't stir and Serena pulled back her hand, admonishing herself.

Folding her legs beneath her she sat and looked at Jon ponderously, he had certainly found his way into her heart. Maybe it was because he knew her secrets, he, before anyone else, had known who she was and had never once mentioned it. And now to top it all off he had saved her life. She was more in debt to him than any other person alive and that frustrated her more than a little.

Serena had always had mixed emotions towards people, even as a child she found it hard to connect because she had never really fitted in. Before becoming a student of the Shang, she was absent of a purpose and an outlet for anger and so did not get along well with other children. Once part of Shang she was just as ostracized as the Noble daughter who was too skilled for her own good and her family began trying their best not too associate too much with her. So she had never exactly been surrounded with friends and had little idea of how to treat them. On the streets of Tortall it had been different, the urchins didn't care who she was or where she came from, they were only in it for food and the wordless comfort of companionship.

But here, here was a whole new story. She had found friends. People who truly liked her, for her, with the slight catch of wanting to know where she had come from. Their curiosity had however been met with her firm, unfeeling Yamani mask and silence, to her surprise, they had accepted this, and moved on.

But Jon...

Serena's mouth twisted. She cared for him, as a friend, but anything else must just be the result of the strange bond they held. He knew her secrets where no one else did and she didn't know how to respond to him because of that.

His eyes began to flutter at that point and Serena hurriedly swallowed her thoughts. She squashed her emotions behind a wall of forgetting and forced herself to forget the silly hormonal thoughts that had been taunting her.

"Good morning" he mumbled, bleary eyed. "Whats the time?"

"Midday. Just in time for lunch and your afternoon classes" Haukim rapped as he walked into the room.

Serena and John both groaned in unison and rolled out of bed.

…...

Serena threw herself into her studies and physical classes for the next few months. She mastered every class like she had once done in the Yamani Isles and frustrated her teachers incredibly. She was a master with the sword, lance, hand-to-hand and on horse back, it got to the point where she had so out-shot all of the year 2 pages that she began taking practices and classes with Jon and the other 3rd years. The teachers just shook their heads in amazement and didn't know what to do with her.

Haukim however was none too happy about this, after her transfer to a third year page he pulled her aside and questioned her rather sharply about what she was doing.

"You are drawing attention to yourself! I thought that was what you didn't want to do most of all!" He paced around angrily in front of her while she stood passively, hands behind her back.

"I di..." She began, but he cut her off "Do you know how many of your teachers, or even just of random passing knights that I have had come up to me and ask me about this fearsome Yamani fighter? Ridiculous amounts! You are being reckless and..."

""Who cares?" She burst out. "I'm tired of dumbing myself down for others! Its not like I can get in trouble with the higher powers, the King and Queen know who I am already! And why do you care so much?"

Haukim stopped his pacing and turned to stare at her with tired, angry eyes. "It is not the King and Queen I am worried about! News easily travels to the Isles these days young tiger, what if someone mentioned seeing you here? A rumor of a young Shang-styled fighter of mysterious origin in Tortall? That's bound to raise suspicion. Your months here have obviously not done you much good. Have you forgotten about the Shang Hawk? She has gone back to the Isles you know, just last week." He sighed. "As for why I care, I'm very fond of you young tiger. Do you know how long I have taught students here? Longer than you have been alive child. And throughout those years I have learnt to recognise which of you pages are born to be great. Whether it be because you are god-touched, or merely a pure example of humanity I can recognise which of your pages will play an important role in Life. I saw it with Alanna, with Keladry and it can be seen in the Noble descendants of our royal line. Some people are simply born to be great."

Serena made no reply, but some anger drained from her system.

"You, my dear, are one of them. It is yet to be seen whether a god has their eye on you, but I would not be surprised. You did not survive exile for nothing, you are here for a reason and I would not have you throw that away."

He placed both his large, callused hands on her shoulders and gazed at her. "You are more than just an exile. You are and forever will be the Shang Tiger, no one can take that away from you."

Serena swallowed slightly. What he said hit home in more than a few ways, he shooed her away with out saying anything more, so she walked back to class deep in thought.

….

In the end she did tone down her ostentatious displays of skill, she spent more of her time during the day teaching and helping other pages than showing off. However some evenings, if they had the energy, bunches of the more elite of the pages would gather in the training yards and have practice sword fights.

Serena always found these bouts interesting to watch, though she barely ever took part, it was quite surprising to see who came out on top in sword fighting. Everybody seemed to have skills in different areas, making fights very even.

Jon, Solen and Kat were always present at these gatherings and were quite well respected, even by the 4th years.

Kat was obviously favoured by her naturally better speed and strength though her skill with a sword left something to be desired. Solen was huge and very strong, if someone ever had the misfortune to lock swords with them their fight was already lost, however he was not fast on his feet so one on one fencing was not his strong point, though he still managed to win most his fights. Jon was the most surprising though. Quiet, studious Jon was a trickster when it came to fencing. He would never win a battle of strength or speed but his skill with the sword was unmatched in the pages, he could and often would, turn the tide of a battle with one complex, unexpected move. In the end it was his intellect which won him his battles, the ability to instinctively know where an opponent was moving and how to counteract them in the least expected way possible.

Today the training yards were occupied by those three, Serena and two fourth years by the names of Gareth and Paul, both very good sword fighters, with very larger egos.

Paul, a swarthy, dark haired boy was parading around gloating after just having beaten a sheepish Gareth, almost walking into Solen's sword during his and Jon's friendly bout.

After his initial boasts had died down with no retaliation from others he saw Serena leaning nonchalantly up against a fence, grinning in amusement. He sauntered up to her and said.

"Well well, it seems little miss Tiger is amused about something, aye? I have heard so many stories about your _prodigious _skill with a weapon, but" He unsheathed his sword and lifted it to point at her chest "I have yet to see them justified. Will you fight me, _Shang Tiger_? Or am I not good enough for you?"

Kat growled slightly next to Serena, at the obvious attempt to anger her, but Serena just gave a laugh and pushed herself off the wall. "You really want to fight me? Think twice before you answer." She replied, stepping up to him, and pushing his sword to the side.

Paul looked taken aback for a second, then gave a choked laugh. "How old are you? Like 12? I wouldn't be scared of you even if you were Shang like you say!"

Serena twisted her mouth into a wry smile, she refused to be angered, but she drew her own sword and waved it at the court.

"En guard then, sir." She said softly, stepping into position. Jon and Solen stopped their fight to watch. Serena hadn't done any bouts with students before, not serious ones at least, but there was a steel to her face this time which suggested she wanted to teach Paul a lesson.

They began, hesitantly at first, Paul made a few weak feints which Serena did not react to, he seemed unnerved by her completely blank face.

Then, without warning Paul whipped in, slashing side to side in reckless, but controlled strokes, Serena parried one with the flat of her sword, then simply side stepped the others. She refrained from attacking at all, letting him lash out at her in increasing frustration while she simply blocked and stepped away.

Eventually his face red with anger, faded and his insults ceased, he was, despite everything, a good sword fighter and knew he had to control his temper to win. Serena braced herself for she knew what was coming.

He launched in again, but this time there was more harmony to his movements, he flowed from one to the other like a dancer, with a deadly blade, parrying, feinting and swinging his sword in complicated maneuvers. Eventually under that strain, Serena began attacking back and for a while all the on lookers could see was spinning blades and blurred faces.

They fought on and the longer they went the more respect Serena gained for Paul's ability, but even as the thought crossed her mind he swung wide and, off balance, slipped on a puddle of sweat on the floor. His ankle rolled and there was an audible crack, yet some how Paul managed to stay standing. Serena dropped her sword.

"Do you forfeit?"

Paul glared at her angrily for a few seconds but eventually defeat seeped into his gaze and he dropped his sword and saluted with his other hand. "A good fight, for a girl."

Serena raised her eyebrows with a smile. "Likewise for you."

The fight over Jon rushed over and laid his hands on Pauls ankle, blue flame sparking around his fingers. Paul sighed and thanked Jon genuinely before retreating with Gareth out of the yards.

Solen and Kat came over and clapped Serena on the back forcefully before saying that they were going to hurry off to their rooms before they got in trouble. They followed the other two out of the yards and Serena was left to wander back with Jon.

"Superb fight. Though I did get the feeling you were holding back a bit." Jon said, looking at her with an eyebrow raised, Serena just laughed.

"I suppose I was...but not much, he really is a very good swordsman, Tortall is lucky to have him." She grinned and looked down at the floor.

"Is Tortall lucky to have you as well? Jon asked, eyes fixed on her.

Serena paused, looking up and at him. "I don't belong here, but until I leave, and after, I will fight for Tortall willingly." He nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

They walked in silence for a few steps before reaching the door to her page quarters.

"Its summer camp soon, then all the pages will be heading home for summer and the harvest." He said, stopping and turning to her.

"I know." She replied. "What do you think you will do? Where will you go?" He pressed.

Serena shrugged. "Back to the city I guess, I haven't spent as much time with Scat and Jeremy as I should have, but it wont be hard to go back to living on the streets."

Jon frowned. "I don't want you to ever live on the streets again." And with that rather cryptic comment he turned and strode down the hall to where the boys were quartered, not looking back.

And Serena was left outside her door wondering what on earth that statement was supposed to mean.


	17. Chapter 17

Here is another chapter, because I feel like being kind to my lovely, wonderful, oh-so faithful readers. I can't believe I have gotten this much of a following on a story I almost forgot about. But hey, I'm not complaining. Enjoy!

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There was much to do in the 2 weeks before summer camp, the pages had been given the task of organising it themselves which proved to be mildly disastrous.

Arguments erupted between people about where they should go and what they should do and everyone managed to completely ignore the important issue of how much food and how many pack horses were needed.

The arguments resulted in a small fist fight between some pages which ended only when Solen got up from his seat and pulled the two culprits apart. Jon then ended the disagreements by standing on his chair and announcing to the room.

"We shall go to Lamnar Springs." He said firmly, then, pointing to different people in the room he allocated "You guys can work out what journey we will take there and back. You guys can work out where we will sleep..." Serena toned out and smile slightly as the pages settled down and began whatever jobs they had been given without complaint or grumbling. Jon had chosen a popular spot, the hot springs of Lamnar, but even if it had been unpopular there were few pages who would argue directly with a Royal Prince.

She ended up working out figures for how much food they would need with Chris and two other fourth years. Chris was a whiz with numbers so Serena just sat back quietly and let him work without her interruption.

Jon's job done he came and sat down beside her, grinning at Chris who was oblivious, scribbling down numbers and the 2 fourth years who sat there doing nothing and looking sheepish.

"Have you ever been to Lamnar Springs?" He asked her as he sat down, Serena raised her eyebrow at him. "Is that a bit of a silly question? I haven't, but I know of the place."

He nodded, "I used to go there with my whole family, back when we were quite young and the whole being Royal thing hadn't quite sunken in, my parents had to act like a King and Queen most of the time, but when we went to Lamnar they were nothing more that my ma and da." Serena was mildly touched by this insight into Jon's younger years which she knew little about.

"How long has it been since you last went?" She queried.

Jon sighed, " Years...I hope it is as good as I remember it to be." He looked wistfully into space "Its a strange spot, there is no other place in Tortall like it, hot bubbling springs just coming right out of the ground, with no stream to feed them at all. Some pools scald you red while others are almost as cold as a stream in autumn, with every degree of temperature in between. The land around is really interesting too, very rocky in places but also lots of thick luscious forests, completely different from the ones you get around here. It just popped into my head a minute ago and I thought it would be a great place to take the pages."

Serena nodded. "We had many places like that in the Isles, fire springs we called them. The Noble lords and ladies would write poetry about their origins while in Shang they were used for a variety of things from training, to punishment, to rewards for aching muscles. They are said to have healing powers."

"I never was any good at writing poetry." Jon grinned and they both laughed.

The bell rang for their evening meals and the pages all jumped to their feet, dropping whatever they had been doing and hurrying out, leaving a few frazzled scholars to try gather and make sense of their summer camp notes.

Jon jumped to his feet and offered his hand to Serena, but she didn't see and got up herself in a smooth movement.

They walked together into the great hall and, after gathering their food, sat down with Robin and Kat, Chris and Solen came and joined them soon after.

"...I'm so annoyed!" Kat was saying, getting worked up as she was wont to do and making flying gestures with her fork. "The 2nd years don't get to go on camp with the third and fourth year pages! And you!" She said, the fork pausing in its swoops to point at Serena. "You are now a third year page! I am not happy! Why cannot I move up a year!" She finished her tyrant with a huff.

Robin glanced up from the food he was shoveling down, "Because you fail at maths and etiquette, with Serena excels at, among other things. You are a barbarian! All you wish to do is fight."

Kat opened her mouth in indignation but Jon gave her a look "Be realistic child, it is true! You are top of your year in magic and all physical things but when it comes to numbers and books you squeal and run away." The groups laughed and Kat, after a moment of pouting, joined in.

Serena toned out of the conversations for a while, munching slowly on her food and not thinking about anything much in particular.

While she was obliviously eating Kat had challenged Robin to a test of the skills they had been learning in their mage class. Bouts like this were not normally allowed in the food hall but no adults were present this particular evening and so many play fights were happening around the room.

The magic they were practicing was to do with controlled levitation of certain objects, and their fight basically consisted of them throwing a food tray at each other without touching it at all. It wasn't a particularly interesting skill but it did require a reasonable amount of concentration as they had to catch the tray, before it hit them, then aim and throw it back. Slowly their fight became more intense and gathered attention, someone added a ceramic bowl to the exchange and Kat and Robin's brows furrowed with concentration.

Serena knew nothing of this, so lost in space she was, until someone shouted her name and she looked up in time to see an object hurtling towards her at great speed.

She had no time to raise her arm in defense and she would think back later and be amused at how her only self-defense against the object was to shut her eyes tightly. But at the time she didn't think and just flinched, closing her eyes to her inevitable fate.

But no impact came and she slowly opened her eyes to see the ceramic bowl lying broken, cracked and charred on the table in front of her, as if it had been scorched by a flame. She glance around, no body had any magic glittering at their fingers, which would be a indication if they had stopped the bowl, but everyone was staring at her, looking all rather flabbergasted.

Serena looked down at her own hands, which had been sitting uselessly in her lap the whole time and was shocked to see what looked like sparks from a flame glinting around her own fingers.

She quickly stuffed her hands in the pockets of her tunic and rushed out of the hall without saying a word. The chatter of the pages followed her out, but more obvious to her was the silent, confused gazes of her friends that burned into her shoulder blades.

...

Jon found her. Of course he did. He always seemed to have an intuition about where she would be and would turn up when she was least in the mood to talk to anyone.

She had gone to the training yards and was furiously pounding the sack of sand that had been hung from the ceiling. At the moment Jon walked in she was part way through a spinning roundhouse kick that caused the rope to finally give up under the strain, the sack thumping to the ground a meter or two away.

Serena gave a cry of frustration and kicked the sack stupidly with her toes, causing her more pain that she would admit to and doing nothing at all to the sand bag.

"Serena"

Jon's voice called softly from the other side of the room. Serena's chest heaved a bit from the exertion and she wiped her face of sweat and what might or might not have been tears before turning around.

She didn't say a word, just waited. Jon replied in kind, he walked towards her in silence till he stood before her. He reached down and took each of her hands in his.

They both looked down, her knuckles were skinned badly and bruises were already beginning to discolour the skin, Serena had a sneaking suspicion that at least one or two of her fingers were broken as well. You weren't supposed to punch the sandbag without padded gloves to protect your hands.

As she looked down at them the cool feeling of relief began to trickle from Jon's hands to hers, like the feeling of drinking ice cold water after strenuous exercise in summer. Serena felt herself tense up to pull away, and Jon must have felt it too because his grip tightened gently, not letting go till all the pain and soreness had washed out of her hands.

Finally he let her arms fall and looked up to gaze straight into her eyes. It was such an intimate moment that Serena squirmed inwardly and fought the urge to step back.

He grasped her chin in one hand and the coolness came back, washing away her uncomfortable, angry feelings and leaving nothing but her and him.

"Never be afraid of what you are, and what you are born to be.: He said firmly, almost insistently fading off on a pleading note.

His blue eyes were so full of emotion right then, their faces so close that Serena thought that he might kiss her. The thought came softly, and couldn't disturb the blissful feeling that his healing magic had birthed in her.

He hesitated. And the moment passed.

"I have to go." He said quickly, eyes down, and strode out of the room.

Serena's feeling of bliss departed with his fleeing footsteps and she was left wondering how many times he would walk away from her like that, leaving her in more of a mess than when he had arrived.


End file.
